More than a dozen people have died in a road accident in the eastern Ukraine region of Donetsk, which is mostly controlled by Russian forces, the Moscow-installed region's head said Wednesday.
"A tragedy on the T-0517 highway claimed the lives of 16 people, among them were some of our defenders," the Russia-appointed head of Donetsk Denis Pushilin said on Telegram.
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Four other passengers were injured in the accident that took place between Torez and Shakhtarsk, according to Pushilin.
He offered "sincere condolences" and wished a "speedy recovery" to the injured.
Fighting for months has raged around the frontline in Donestk, a mining and steel base, which Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed to have annexed despite not fully controlling it.