The Ukrainian military launched an artillery strike on the Tekstilshchik microdistrict in the south-west of Donetsk, including the market on Petrovsky Street, says the Russian-appointed mayor of the city, Alexey Kulemzin.
According to the head of the self-proclaimed DPR Denis Pushilin, a total of 13 people died due to the attack, and another 10 were injured. Three hours later, Pushilin added that the number of victims had increased to 25 people.
The Donetsk News Agency, controlled by the occupation authorities, published photographs from the scene, showing destroyed shopping arcades and bodies lying in the snow.
According to footage from the agency and local telegram channels, residential buildings nearby were also damaged. One of the videos showed a panel high-rise building with broken windows and the body of a man in the courtyard at the entrance.
Updated at 14:49. The number of deaths was specified in the headline and text of the news.