KIEV, July 29 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 people were killed and 42 others injured in a Russian air strike on a prison in the Zaporizhzhia Region, the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice said on Tuesday.

Four guided aerial bombs hit the Bilenkivska correctional colony in the region at approximately 11:28 p.m. (2028 GMT) on Monday, the ministry said on its Telegram channel.

The raid ruined the institution's main buildings, including its administrative headquarters, and the seriously wounded were hospitalized, provided with medical assistance and under observation, it said.

Ukrainian media reported that at least 42 inmates were hospitalized with serious injuries, while another 40 sustained different wounds.

Over the past days, Russia and Ukraine have exchanged drone and missile strikes against each other, causing casualties and infrastructure damage. ■