In a tragic incident over the weekend, a bakery in the occupied eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk was struck by a Ukrainian military attack, resulting in the deaths of three officials, according to Russian-installed representatives. The attack, which claimed the lives of at least 28 people, has been labeled as a "monstrous terrorist act" by the Kremlin, eliciting international condemnation.

Authorities in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region confirmed that among the victims were a local government minister and two deputies. The emergency situations minister of the Luhansk People's Republic, Colonel Alexey Poteleshchenko, was one of the casualties in the brutal shelling, as stated by the Moscow-appointed head of the region, Leonid Pasechnik, on the Telegram messaging app. Poteleshchenko, who had previously fought in pro-Russian separatist units against Ukraine, was appointed to his government position, added Pasechnik. In addition to the minister, two municipal deputies also lost their lives in the attack, as announced by Mayor Eduard Sakhnenko on social media.

Luhansk is one of the four Ukrainian regions that Russia claims to have annexed since invading the country nearly two years ago. The ongoing conflict between Kyiv and Moscow has seen an escalation in attacks in recent months, although the front line has seen little movement. The Kremlin seized the opportunity to justify its continued war against Ukraine, condemning the attack on civilian infrastructure.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov referred to the strikes on the bakery as "monstrous terrorist acts," highlighting the significant number of victims as evidence of the severity of the attack. Peskov emphasized that the military operation, which Moscow labels as a "special military operation," would persist to prevent further incidents of this nature.

According to reports from Kremlin-backed officials in occupied Ukraine, a total of 18 men, nine women, and one child lost their lives in the bakery strike carried out by Ukrainian forces on Saturday.

This tragedy further exacerbates the already tense situation between Ukraine and Russia, drawing international attention and condemnation. The incident serves as a reminder of the urgent need for a diplomatic resolution to the ongoing conflict, preventing further loss of innocent lives and preserving the integrity of the region.