Donetsk, Ukraine – Local authorities in the separatist stronghold in east Ukraine say at least seven people have been killed after a city bus was hit by an artillery shell.
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The shell struck the vehicle Thursday morning in Donetsk, instantly killing numerous passengers and blowing out the windows of a nearby building.
A rebel official at the site said up to 10 people may have been killed.
Fighting between Ukrainian government troops and separatist forces surged after the New Year following a month of relative tranquility after a truce was declared in early December.
Residential areas are frequently struck as a result of artillery duels between the warring sides. It was unclear Thursday who was responsible for the attack that led the shelling of the bus.
The Russian Foreign Ministry denounced as a “grave provocation” the attack.
“We regard this incident as a crime against humanity, blunt provocation aimed at undermining efforts to seek a peaceful solution of the Ukrainian crisis,” the ministry said in a statement.