Russia-occupied Ukraine city struck, dozens killed

A strike on a bakery in the Russian-occupied eastern Ukrainian town of Lysychansk has resulted in the death of at least 28 people. The building, which also housed a restaurant named Adriatic, was hit on Saturday. Russian officials stated that servicemen, women, and a child were among the casualties. The Kremlin has labeled the attack a “terrorist act” by Ukraine and claimed that Western-supplied weapons were used. However, Ukrainian military bloggers have alleged that “collaborators” and Russian officials were present in the targeted building. Meanwhile, the head of the Russia-annexed Luhansk People’s Republic stated that the strike killed the minister of emergency situations, Alexey Poteleshchenko, who was celebrating his birthday at the restaurant. Tensions between Ukraine and Russia remain high as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited army positions near the front-line village of Robotyne amidst rumors of a potential dismissal of the commander-in-chief. The Ukrainian counter-offensive launched in 2023 has struggled to reclaim territories seized by Russia, as the second anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaches.