July 3 (Reuters) - There have been no casualties from the strikes by Ukrainian forces on Melitopol, a local Moscow-installed official in the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia region wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

"Shells fell on the territory of the airfield. There were no casualties," Evgeny Balitsky, head of the Russia-installed council in the Zaporizhzhia region, wrote.

He added that several private residential houses near the airfield were damaged.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the reports. (Reporting by Reuters, Editing by Louise Heavens)