A Russian missile attack destroyed an apartment building in Kramatorsk, Ukraine late Wednesday night, killing at least two people, Pavel Kirilenko, head of administration of the Donetsk region, said on a Telegram channel.
“Rescuers, law enforcement and utilities are working at the site, which is clearing rubble from the destroyed building. It is likely that there are still people under them,” he said.
The situation on the front lines in eastern Ukraine is worsening as Russian troops step up their offensive, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday.
Russia has announced an offensive north and south of Bakhmut, which has been the Kremlin’s main target in recent months.
“There has been a certain increase in the offensive operations of the occupiers at the front in the east of our country. The situation has become more difficult,” Zelenskyyy said in an evening televised address.
The Russians are trying to make the kind of gains they might show on the first anniversary of the war on Feb. 24, Zelenskyy said.
Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said earlier that fierce fighting continues in Donbass, where Russian troops are trying to gain a foothold near the strategically important Liman.
Malyar said on his Telegram channel that, despite heavy losses, Russian troops are also continuing their offensive in the region of the towns of Bakhmut and Avdiivka.
The Russians were driven out of Liman in October.
“There are fierce battles going on in the east. The enemy tries to extend the zone of its offensive in the direction of Liman. He is making powerful attempts to break through our defences,” Maliar said, adding that Ukrainian forces are successfully resisting, despite the fact that the Russians have more troops and weapons.
“Despite heavy losses, the Russian invaders also continue their offensive in the Bakhmut, Avdeevsky and Novopavlovsky directions,” she said.
