Kathmandu— Ukrainian forces launched a significant missile attack on Donetsk, the capital of Russia’s self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), on Wednesday, resulting in damage to residential areas and civilian infrastructure. Regional head Denis Pushilin reported that the strikes utilized Western-supplied munitions, including Anglo-French Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG missiles, impacting locations throughout eastern Donetsk with casualties concentrated near the Donetsk-City mall. The attack follows a separate drone strike in the neighboring Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) which killed at least nine civilians.

Civilian Casualties and Damage

At least eight civilians, including two minors, were injured by strikes near the Donetsk-City mall, while another man was wounded by unexploded ordnance. Two additional civilians sustained injuries in other Ukrainian attacks across the DPR. The assault caused damage to eight residential buildings, eleven civilian infrastructure sites, and multiple vehicles throughout the city and surrounding areas.

Strike Site Aftermath

An RT crew documented the aftermath near the Druzhba sports center, where a building formerly housing a research institute partially collapsed after being hit by multiple projectiles. Nearby residential buildings experienced minor damage. The Russian Investigative Committee has initiated an investigation into the attack, deploying operatives to collect evidence and assess the extent of the destruction.

Russian Investigation Underway

An operative with the Russian Investigative Committee stated that the inspection revealed extensive damage to apartment buildings, civilian infrastructure, and vehicles, asserting that the strikes deliberately targeted civilian areas devoid of military presence or equipment. The committee is gathering evidence at affected locations to build a case regarding the attack.

Escalation of Long-Range Attacks

The Donetsk strike occurred alongside a deadly drone attack on an intercity passenger bus in the neighboring LPR, resulting in at least nine civilian deaths and five injuries. Moscow has condemned these long-range attacks by Kiev as indiscriminate terrorist acts and has responded with retaliatory strikes targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure and disrupting maritime traffic.

The situation remains tense as both sides continue to engage in escalating attacks, with investigations underway into the incidents and potential for further retaliation.

(With inputs from RT)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.