Missiles have rained down on a Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine and the annexed region of Crimea - blasting apart a military barracks taking orders from the Kremlin.
Both sides confirmed missiles had touched down in Melitopol, which is situated inside the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic - a part of east and southern Ukraine that tyrant Vladimir Putin claimed as Russian and swore to defend in September.
Russian state-run media reported that 20 missiles had hit the city, killing two people and injuring another 10.
One of the buildings pummelled was a church that was controlled by Putin's troops, Melitopol's mayor wrote on Telegram.
The extent of the damage has not yet been independently verified.
Russia's acting governor of Zaporizhia Yevgeny Balitsky said the bombardment of Melitopol has "completely destroyed" a recreation centre that was being used by "people, civilians, and [military]" personnel while they were "having dinner".
Ivan Fedorov, the pre-war mayor of Melitopol, said the strikes hit military bases, including the Melitopol Christian Church which Russia seized "several months ago and turned into their hideout".
He has previously claimed that Moscow has turned the entirety of the city into "one giant military base".
Fedorov said in November: “The Russian military is settling in local houses they seized, schools and kindergartens. Military equipment is stationed in residential areas."
The mayor has been evacuated from the city, but said Russian forces were among the fatalities and injured blast victims.
This morning, Russian officials said residential buildings in Donetsk had been targeted.
Alexei Kulemzin, the head of the Russian-backed administration, said 20 grad missiles struck apartment blocks, the Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Kalinin Hospital at around 5.54am local time.
Another area was shelled in the Kyivskiy district of the city late Saturday at 11.03pm.
Kyiv hasn't commented on the attack.
Putin illegally annexed four Ukrainian regions including Donetsk during an internationally-unrecognised ceremony in St George's Hall at the Kremlin in September.
He vowed to use "all the power and all the means" at his disposal to defend them.
The ceremony took place three days after the completion of hastily staged referendums in which Moscow's proxies in the occupied regions claimed majorities of up to 99% in favour of joining Russia.
Ukraine and Western governments described those votes as bogus, illegitimate and conducted at gunpoint.
Russian-backed separatists have had control of Donetsk since 2014, the same conflict that saw Russia annexe the Crimea.
Melitopol was hit as footage and local residents reported a number of blasts rocking the Crimean city of Simferopol earlier at around 9pm Saturday.
Explosions were also reported at the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea fleet, a Russian military barracks, and in three other cities inside Crimea.
