In a troubling development, at least 27 people were killed and 25 others wounded in a shelling incident at a market on the outskirts of Donetsk, a city in eastern Ukraine currently occupied by Russia. The incident occurred on Sunday, according to officials appointed by Moscow.

Denis Pushilin, the local leader, reported that among the injured were two children in the Tekstilshchik suburb. The shelling, believed to be carried out by Ukrainian forces, was not commented on by officials in Kyiv. The claims made by the Moscow-installed officials couldn't be independently verified by The Associated Press.

The artillery shells reportedly originated from the Kurakhove and Krasnohorivka areas in western Ukraine and targeted the market area. Emergency services promptly responded to the scene, according to Pushilin.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, strongly condemned the attack, emphasizing that any assault on civilians and civilian infrastructure is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law.

This incident has further escalated tensions between Ukraine and Russia. Donetsk is one of four regions in Ukraine that Russia illegally annexed in 2022, following its full-scale invasion.

In a separate incident on Sunday, a fire broke out at a chemical transport terminal at Russia's Ust-Luga port after two explosions. Regional officials reported that Ukrainian drones were responsible for the attack, which caused a gas tank to explode. The port, located southwest of St. Petersburg, is operated by Novatek, Russia's second-largest natural gas producer. The company attributed the fire to "external influence" and suspended operations at the port.

No casualties were reported, but the Kingisepp district, where the port is located, remains on high alert. Reports suggest that two drones were sighted flying towards St. Petersburg before being redirected towards Kingisepp. However, these reports could not be independently verified.

Further clashes were reported between Russian and Ukrainian forces on the front line. Russia's Defense Ministry announced that their forces had taken control of the village of Krokhmalne in Ukraine's Kharkiv region. Ukrainian forces confirmed the occupation but described it as temporary. The settlement had a population of approximately 45 people before the conflict began.

Recent attacks by Russia have sought to exploit gaps in Ukraine's defenses, employing a significant number of missiles and drones to overwhelm their air defense systems. According to officials in Kyiv, more than 500 drones and missiles were fired between December 29 and January 2, depleting Ukraine's weapons stockpiles.

As the situation intensifies, the international community remains concerned about the escalating violence and the need for dialogue to resolve the conflict peacefully.