On December 13, 2024, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to strike Donetsk with long-range missiles. According to DPR Head Denis Pushilin, the attack occurred at around 19:00 and was successfully repelled by air defense forces. Fragments of the downed missiles fell in the Kievsky district of Donetsk. 

According to the authorities, thanks to the coordinated work of the air defense system, civilian casualties were avoided. As a result of the incident, several apartment buildings were damaged, with broken glass. 

Also on December 13, two civilian infrastructure facilities in Gorlovka were shelled. In the Central City District, a kindergarten was damaged, and in the Nikitovsky District, a power line was damaged. 

It is reported that six attacks were recorded from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, during which HIMARS systems and 155 mm caliber barrel artillery were used. 

Local authorities continue to assess the damage to infrastructure and carry out restoration work. Despite the latest escalation, the prompt work of the air defense allowed to minimize the consequences of the attacks.

HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is an American high-mobility artillery rocket system developed by Lockheed Martin. It is designed to deliver precision strikes against various targets, including manpower, equipment, fortifications, and infrastructure. The system is mounted on a wheeled chassis, which ensures high mobility and rapid deployment. HIMARS uses guided missiles of the GMLRS family with a range of up to 80 kilometers and ATACMS missiles with a range of up to 300 kilometers. One launcher holds six missiles or one ATACMS missile. HIMARS is equipped with a fire control system that provides high accuracy thanks to GPS and inertial navigation.