Ukraine warns of Russian "brutality" in contested eastern region

Kyiv, Ukraine — Russian forces are stepping up their strikes in a fiercely contested region of eastern Ukraine, worsening the already tough conditions for residents and the defending army following Moscow's illegal annexation and declaration of martial law in Donetsk province, Ukrainian authorities said.

The attacks have almost completely destroyed the power plants that serve the city of Bakhmut and the nearby town of Soledar, Pavlo Kyrylenko, the region's Ukrainian governor, said. Shelling killed one civilians and wounded three, he reported late Saturday.

"The destruction is daily, if not hourly," Kyrylenko said in a state television interview.