Ukraine Strikes Russian Command Posts in Donetsk, Reports Say

Ukraine's military confirmed striking Russian command posts in occupied Donetsk, though it did not specify the weapons used. Images of debris suggest the use of French-made SCALP cruise missiles, while one Ukrainian defense publication claimed a second target may have been hit with newly developed US-made JDAM-LR precision weapons.

Reports of JDAM-LR use and claims that the commander of Russia's 51st Combined Arms Army was killed remain unconfirmed. Donetsk residents reported hearing between six and 13 strong explosions on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning. Accounts indicate the strikes occurred minutes apart without air raid sirens being sounded.

Denis Pushilin, the Russian-appointed head of the occupied Donetsk region, stated that Ukrainian aircraft attacked an industrial part of the city with "several" SCALP/"Storm Shadow" missiles. He claimed eight civilians, including two girls, were injured. Kyiv Post could not independently verify this claim.

The first target was an unfinished apartment building near the "Donetsk City" shopping center. The Ukrainian military information channel "Exilenova" reported that a car park had been converted into the main headquarters for Russia's 51st Combined Arms Army, a key formation involved in Moscow's offensive in the Donetsk region.

"Storm Shadow" and SCALP EG are air-launched cruise missiles made by MBDA. Ukraine has used these missiles, designed to penetrate hardened high-value targets, against Russian command posts, ammunition depots, and other military objectives since their supply began in 2023. Some Ukrainian news platforms reported that Lieutenant General Sergey Milchakov, identified in open sources as the commander of the 51st Combined Arms Army, was holding a meeting at the location and was killed along with several deputies. These reports have not been confirmed by any official Ukrainian or Russian source.

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Kyiv Post could not independently verify this claim.