DONETSK, July 3. /TASS/. Russian air defense systems downed at least three HIMARS missiles, launched at civilian targets, over the Kievsky District of this morning, the DPR mission to the Joint Coordination and Control Center (JCCC) on Ukrainian war crimes told TASS.
"Earlier this morning, the air defense system downed at least three HIMARS MLRS missiles over the Kievsky District of Donetsk. All of them were directed at civilian targets. Still, one M-31 missile hit a shopping mall building, which is now completely destroyed," the mission said.
According to the DPR mission, serious damage was also inflicted to the building and equipment of the primary medical aid laboratory. In addition, a bus stop and an apartment building were damaged. No one was injured in the attack.
"It was the operation of the air defense system that made it possible to avoid mass causalities that would have certainly been caused by such amount of long-range missiles," the mission underscored.
According to the regional Ministry of Emergency Situations directorate’s Telegram channel, 16 firefighters and 4 vehicles are involved in the extinguishing of the fire that broke out in the destroyed shopping mall and currently covers 300 square meters.