Russia Accuses Ukraine of Striking Supermarket in Donetsk Amid Ongoing Conflict

On Friday, Russia leveled accusations against Ukraine regarding a missile strike on a supermarket located in Donetsk, a city under Russian control in eastern Ukraine. The situation surrounding the casualties remains unclear, with local officials indicating that as many as four individuals sustained injuries. Conversely, Russian state news agency RIA reported that the attack resulted in two fatalities, as well as two injuries, which they described as a deliberate missile strike on civilian infrastructure.

Denis Pushilin, the leader of the Russian-controlled portion of the Donetsk region, claimed that the Ukrainian military used U.S.-supplied HIMARS systems to launch missiles during peak morning hours. In a contrasting response, Ukraine's military command did not comment on the supermarket incident specifically. However, they acknowledged conducting strikes in the Donetsk region earlier in the week and emphasized their efforts to mitigate risks to civilians.

The missile strike caused significant damage, shattering the façade of the "Moloko" (Milk) supermarket and scattering glass and debris around the area, including burnt-out vehicles. Footage captured by a dashboard camera seemed to capture the moment of impact, leading to a massive explosion that sent flames high into the air. Additionally, Mr. Pushilin reported another incident where Ukrainian forces allegedly struck an apartment building in Svitlodarsk, resulting in one woman's death and four other injuries. Ukraine's military stated that they conducted a precise operation targeting a Russian command post in Svitlodarsk.

Despite both sides maintaining that they do not intentionally aim at civilian targets, the ongoing war has resulted in significant loss of life, with the majority of victims being Ukrainians. In related developments, Ukraine's air force disclosed that it fended off a drone assault from Russia involving 72 drones overnight, successfully downing 33 of them, while 34 others vanished from radar before achieving their objectives. The air force report included that five drones impacted structures in the Chernihiv region, causing one injury, while a downed drone in the capital, Kyiv, fell without resulting in casualties.