Ukraine war: Multiple people killed in Donetsk as more spring offensive details trickle in
Donetsk, Ukraine - Several people were killed in an attack in the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, although the exact number remained unclear on Thursday.
Some Russian reports put the death toll at four, while others said nine had been killed.
The attack targeted a fleet of vehicles and, according to Russian reports, was carried out with US Himars missiles. Videos showed damaged vehicles and several dead bodies. It was not possible to verify the claims independently.
Moscow has formally annexed the Donetsk region but still only controls slightly more than half of the province.
Meanwhile fierce battles continue over Bakhmut, also in Donetsk, where Ukrainian forces are continuing to resist Moscow's attempts to seize the city, once home to 70,000 people.
It could take Russia three to four weeks to overpower Bakhmut, according to Yevgeny Prigozhin, who heads the Russian mercenary force Wagner, in a Telegram channel attributed to him. His comment comes just days after he claimed that Bakhmut had already been conquered.
Ukrainian troops have been defending Bakhmut for months, but most of the city and parts of the center are already under Russian control. However, Ukrainian units are entrenched in the western part of the city.
Ukraine keeping cards close to its chest
More broadly, Kyiv's forces are preparing a spring offensive to retake areas occupied by Russian forces, although little information is available, with few people aware of the location and timing of the planned attacks.
"At most three to five people" know of the plans, National Security Council Secretary Olexiy Danilov said in a radio interview.
"The information about where, when and how one or another action will begin on the territory of our planet is reserved for a small circle."
He said any statements made about the planned offensive might not necessarily be true and hinted that planning for the large-scale attack had already been completed.
After the widely-expected offensive, Ukraine may consider holding talks with Russia over Crimea, a senior aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier.
Cover photo: Genya SAVILOV / AFP