A crowded shopping mall in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Donetsk caught fire after alleged Ukrainian shelling, resulting in the injury of at least seven civilians. The Kremlin-appointed governor of the Donetsk region, Denis Pushilin, accused Ukrainian forces of conducting targeted massive strikes that damaged a local hospital and burned the Galaktika shopping mall. The fire covering an area of 10,000 square meters made extinguishing it difficult due to the operational environment, forcing Russian Emergency Situations Ministry workers to move to a safe distance. Ukraine has not commented on whether its forces were responsible for the strike, leaving the situation ripe for escalating tensions.
Eyewitness videos shared on social media depicted the chaotic scene of flames and thick black smoke engulfing the large two-story structure of the shopping mall in front of an empty parking lot. Russia’s state-run news agency RIA Novosti later showed the destroyed front of the building with smoke still rising from the back, adding to the devastation. Reports from the local emergency services suggested that two people may have been killed in the attack on the Galaktika shopping mall, further illustrating the human cost of the escalating conflict in the region.
The Kremlin claimed to have annexed the Donetsk region and three other Ukrainian territories in late 2022, despite the ongoing fighting to control the territories by Russian forces. This move has further complicated the situation in the region, leading to a sharp increase in tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The lack of international consensus on the annexation and the ongoing violence have created an atmosphere of uncertainty and fear for civilians caught in the crossfire. The destruction of vital infrastructure, such as hospitals and shopping malls, only adds to the already dire situation faced by the people of Donetsk.
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