In a tragic incident on the outskirts of Donetsk, at least 25 people have lost their lives and 20 others have been injured after a market was shelled, as reported by local authorities. Denis Pushilin, the head of the Russian-installed authorities in Donetsk, accused the Ukrainian military of carrying out the strike.

The market in the suburb of Tekstilshchik became a target of the shelling, further escalating tensions in the region. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the attack and accused the Kyiv regime of perpetrating such "terrorist attacks," stating that it revealed their lack of political will to resolve the conflict through diplomatic means.

At the time of reporting, there has been no immediate comment from Ukraine regarding the accusations. Moscow-backed separatists have held control over the southeastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, collectively known as the Donbas, for nearly a decade. However, the international community, with most countries at the UN General Assembly, has unanimously condemned Russia's recognition of the separatist-controlled territories in 2022, considering it an illegal annexation.

In a separate development, Russia's Ministry of Defence announced that their forces had taken control of the village of Krokhmalne in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region. Volodymyr Fityo, spokesperson for Ukrainian Ground Forces Command, confirmed the withdrawal of Kyiv's forces from the area. Krokhmalne, which had a population of about 45 people before Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, now falls under Russian control.

While Ukrainian authorities downplayed the significance of the withdrawal, stating that it only involved a small village, tensions persist as Russia's war in Ukraine approaches its two-year mark. Both Moscow and Kyiv's forces have engaged in protracted battles from fixed positions along the 1,500km (930-mile) front line throughout the winter. Recent Russian attacks have focused on exploiting gaps in Ukraine's defenses by deploying a range of missiles to saturate air defense systems.

The situation remains highly fragile, and the international community continues to call for a peaceful resolution to end the conflict in Ukraine. Efforts to promote dialogue and diplomacy are crucial to prevent further escalation and loss of innocent lives in the region.