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Russia shells Ukraine's Donetsk after seizing Luhansk

STORY: Russian forces struck targets across Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region on Tuesday (July 5) to prepare the path for an expected armored thrust to take more territory.

A market in the city of Sloviansk was struck by Russian forces, killing at least two people and injuring seven, according to officials.

Smoke billowed from an auto supplies shop and flames engulfed rows of market stalls.

The Russian defence ministry says it does not target residential areas.

And added it had used what it called high-precision weapons to destroy command centers and artillery in Donetsk.

The capture of the Ukrainian city of Lysychansk on Sunday (July 3) means all of Luhansk region is now in Russian hands - fulfilling one of Moscow's main war goals.

Now Russian forces are aiming to take full control of Donetsk, the other region in Donbas.

Since the outset of the conflict, Russia has demanded that Ukraine hand both Luhansk and Donetsk to Moscow-backed separatists, who have declared their independence.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday that despite Ukraine's withdrawal from Lysychansk, its troops continued to fight.

The governor of Luhansk said Ukrainian forces which retreated from Lysychansk at the weekend took up new defensive lines in Donetsk on Tuesday (July 5).

Both sides have suffered heavy casualties in the fight for Luhansk, particularly during the siege of the twin cities of Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk.

Both have been left wrecked.