The town of Makeevka in Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) experienced heavy shelling on Tuesday, resulting in damages to residential districts, a school, and a hospital. Denis Pushilin, the acting leader of the region, reported that Ukrainian forces targeted these areas, causing one fatality and injuring numerous people, including two young children.
Late in the evening, the enemy carried out fierce strikes on residential areas and the hospital complex in the Chervonogvardeysky district of Makeevka,” Pushilin wrote on Telegram.
Preliminary data suggested that at least 41 people sought medical treatment for various injuries, but this number is expected to increase as more victims come forward. Despite the damage to healthcare facilities, the victims are receiving necessary medical care.
The exact type of munitions used in the attack remains unclear. However, Pushilin stated that the blasts were felt by most residents of Makeevka and Donetsk. The DPR mission to the Joint Center for Control and Coordination recorded dozens of hits by self-propelled multiple rocket launcher systems in the past day.
In addition to Makeevka, the regional capital of the DPR, Donetsk, also came under fire on Tuesday. The mayor of Donetsk, Aleksey Kulemzin, reported that two people were killed and several others injured during the daytime attack. Ukrainian forces reportedly attacked the city and its suburbs 24 times on Tuesday, firing a total of 166 shells from 155mm artillery allegedly provided by Western nations.
Donetsk has been a frequent target of Ukrainian strikes since the beginning of the conflict between Kiev and the Donbass republics in 2014. Ukraine’s military established heavily fortified positions around the city, leading to intensified attacks on the DPR’s capital after Moscow’s military operation against Kiev in February 2022. These attacks have resulted in numerous civilian casualties and extensive damage to infrastructure.
Last October, the Donetsk People’s Republic, along with the People’s Republic of Lugansk, Zaporozhye, and Kherson Regions, became part of Russia following referendums in which the local populations overwhelmingly voted in favor of the move.
The ongoing violence in Makeevka and Donetsk highlights the continuing hostilities in the region and the impact on the local population. The attacks on residential and healthcare facilities are a grave concern, as civilians bear the brunt of the violence. International attention and efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict are crucial to protect the lives and well-being of the people affected by this ongoing crisis.
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