Two Civilians Killed in Donetsk as Ukraine Intensifies Strikes Inside Russia
Donetsk, Ukraine – Russian shelling in the Donetsk region of Ukraine killed two civilians on February 29, local authorities reported. The casualties occurred amid escalating Ukrainian attacks targeting Russian territory, including a drone strike on a gas processing plant in the Leningrad region.
The deaths in Donetsk underscore the continued vulnerability of civilian populations in eastern Ukraine, where intense fighting has been concentrated for months. Meanwhile, ukraine’s increasing willingness to strike targets within Russia signals a potential shift in strategy as the conflict nears its second anniversary. These developments come as both sides prepare for anticipated spring offensives adn as international aid packages remain stalled in some capitals.
Ukrainian military intelligence confirmed a drone attack on a gas processing plant in Ust-luga, Leningrad Oblast, on February 29. The facility, operated by Novatek, one of Russia’s largest natural gas producers, sustained damage, though the extent remains unclear. Ukrainian sources have not claimed direct responsibility but indicated the strike was part of a broader effort to disrupt Russia’s energy infrastructure.
Fighting also remains fierce around key eastern Ukrainian cities. Ukrainian forces report repelling Russian offensives near Sloviansk, Lyman, and Kramatorsk. Clashes were also reported southwest of Pokrovsk in the Dnipropetrovsk region, near Oleksandrohrad, where Ukrainian forces say they withstood 16 Russian attacks.In the south, Ukrainian troops repelled two Russian offensives near Orikhiv and reported continued Russian attempts to approach the Antonivsky Bridge near Prydniprovske.
