At least six killed in shell strike in Donetsk, Ukraine – peace talks abandoned

#ukraine #donetsk #luhansk #trolleybus #minsk At least six people who had queued up for aid outside the building in the center of the city have been killed when two artillery shells hit a cultural center and a trolleybus in Donetsk, Ukraine.
As per witnesses, five bodies were seen at this location - two of them were middle-aged women and two men were lying on the ground. Another man was killed in a car a very short distance away. He was trying to maneuver the car away as the shell came in, but did not succeed – he died in his driver's seat.
The shells damaged vehicles in the legion and, all the victims appeared to be dressed in civilian clothing. There is no clarity on whether the shells were fired by government troops or by pro-Russian separatists.
Reports also indicate about a battle in Debaltseve – this is believed to be a key government-held town of 25,000 people and it that straddles a railway that connect the two rebel centers of Luhansk and Donetsk.
President Barack Obama has, once again, expressed deep concern about renewed fighting between Russian-backed separatist and government forces in eastern Ukraine and has indicated that the US is exploring options short of military action to isolate Russia. US Secretary of State John Kerry has plans to visit Kiev for talks with President Petro Poroshenko and other Ukrainian officials.
The rebels have, reportedly, said that the peace talks due to take place in the Belarussian capital, Minsk, had been called off because Kiev did not send any representatives.