President Vladimir Putin, right, with former deputy prime minister of Russia Dmitry Rogozin
(Picture: AP)A former Russian deputy prime minister has been injured after Ukrainian forces shelled a hotel in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk, according to Russian news agencies.
A pro-Moscow official was also reportedly injured during the shelling in the Russian-controlled city, situated in eastern Ukraine, on Wednesday.
Donetsk, controlled by pro-Moscow troops, is in the industrial Donbas region, epicentre of recent bitter fighting between Russia and Ukraine.
One of the injured men was Dmitry Rogozin, a former Russian deputy prime minister who has been giving military advice to two occupied regions of Ukraine that Moscow claims as its own, an aide told Tass news agency. His life was not said to be in danger.
Mr Rogozin was deputy prime minister of Russia in charge of the nation’s defence from 2011 to 2018, and was Russia’s NATO ambassador from 2008 to 2011.
He served as director general of Soviet space program Roscosmos for four years until he was replaced in July this year.
He had taken a confrontational stance since the agency was hit with sanctions for its role in the defence industry.
Also hurt in Wednesday’s shelling was Vitaly Khotsenko, head of government of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, his press secretary told Russian news agencies.
The two men were injured when a hotel on the outskirts of Donetsk came under fire from high-precision weapons, aides told Russian agencies. A Russian parliamentarian who was also at the hotel suggested the attackers had acted on a tip.
Photos from the scene show destruction at the hotel’s restaurant, with debris strewn across the floor along with blood.
The shelling comes as Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is in the United States, on his first trip overseas since Russia invaded his country around 300 days ago.
In a 20-minute speech to US Congress, repeatedly interrupted by standing ovations, he thanked Americans for helping to fund the war against Russia.
“Against all doom and gloom scenarios, Ukraine did not fall. Ukraine is alive and kicking,” he said.
“We defeated Russia in the battle for the minds of the world.”
He pledged there would be “no compromises” in trying to bring an end to the war and vowed that Ukraine “will never surrender”.
