Moscow condemns “barbaric” attack in Donetsk, Russia gas terminal on fire

The city of Donetsk in Donbas, which lies 20 kilometers from the front line and came under the control of pro-Russian separatists from Moscow in 2014, is regularly the target of Ukrainian bombing. On Sunday, an attack on a market led to the city’s worst death toll in months.

The regional manager, Denis Pouchiline, announced at least 27 dead and 20 injured, “including two children”. Images show numerous bloodied bodies lying on the ground, with shards of glass littering the ground. The attack will be on the agenda for discussions at the UN in New York by Russian diplomatic chief Sergei Lavrov from Monday.

Light Russian Thrust

Elsewhere on the front line, the Russian military claimed the capture of Krakhmalnoye, a town of 45 residents near Kharkiv, underscoring the pressure exerted by Russian forces in recent weeks. On Thursday, Moscow had already claimed victory in Veseloye, another small town in the Donetsk region.

kyiv lowered the tech. “It’s five houses. They were destroyed by the Russians,” Volodymyr Fetio, spokesman for the ground forces, assured television. However, he noted that Ukrainian soldiers “were moved to reserve positions,” where they “are now taking over the defense. “.

The Kupyansk region, where Krakhmalnoye is located, was occupied by Russia at the start of the invasion, until a lightning strike by the Ukrainians liberated the region in September 2022.

Russia invaded again during the summer of 2023, while Ukraine attempted a major counter-invasion, without success. Faced with Russian attacks, officials earlier in the week ordered the evacuation of 26 towns in the region.

Gas terminal in flames

In an effort to stop the Russian machine and to retaliate for strikes on its soil, the Ukrainian military is also stepping up drone and missile attacks on hostile territory.

During the night from Saturday to Sunday, a large fire broke out at a gas terminal in Russia on the Baltic Sea, caused by an “external factor”, according to Novatek, the company that operates the Ust-Luga site. “There are no victims,” ​​the gas giant said.