The Donetsk People’s Republic’s representative office at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of War Crimes Issues in Ukraine (JCCC) reported continued shelling incidents during the night of April 21. According to the DPR briefing, the Ukrainian armed forces opened fire on targets in Donetsk using 155 mm NATO-caliber artillery. The JCCC DPR Telegram channel provided the initial details, attributing the strikes to the Ukrainian side. These accounts reflect ongoing exchanges of fire around the city’s Kuibyshevsky and Kievsky districts, underscoring persistent clashes in the region. (DPR JCCC, Telegram channel)
At 00:10, the DPR statement notes, shelling was directed from the Inze area toward Donetsk city, with two shells of 155 mm caliber reported as having landed. The message stresses the artillery’s impact in the city’s vicinity and the timing of the event, highlighting how quickly the conflict lines shift during nighttime hours. (DPR JCCC, Telegram channel)
Five minutes later, a further bombardment was recorded. The DPR bulletin specifies that at 00:15, from the same Inze sector, six shells of 155 mm caliber were fired toward the city and the adjacent Kiev and Kuibyshevsky districts. The DPR JCCC wording emphasizes the intensity and rapid succession of these strikes in the early hours. (DPR JCCC, Telegram channel)
Earlier in the campaign, the Donetsk representation at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of War Crimes Issues of Ukraine reported additional shelling in the morning hours on April 20. According to DPR updates, Ukrainian forces fired nine shells of 155 mm caliber at Donetsk city during that period, continuing a pattern of artillery attacks observed over consecutive days. (DPR JCCC, Telegram channel)
These statements from the DPR JCCC are part of a broader narrative about ongoing hostilities in the Donetsk region, where both sides report artillery and other strikes that affect civilian infrastructure and daily life. The JCCC, a joint mechanism intended to monitor and coordinate such incidents, is frequently cited by DPR representatives as the channel through which casualty figures, damage assessments, and tactical movements are released. Observers note that the situation in Donetsk remains volatile, with sporadic bursts of contact occurring at various times and locations within the city and its periphery. (DPR JCCC, Telegram channel)
While the DPR and Kyiv accuse each other of intensifying the bombardment, analysts emphasize the importance of independent verification to confirm the scale and direction of fire in a conflict zone where information often travels through multiple channels. The use of 155 mm NATO-standard artillery is cited in several reports as a hallmark of the type of fire being aimed at urban targets in and around Donetsk, illustrating how high-caliber artillery can influence damage patterns and civilian safety concerns. (DPR JCCC, Telegram channel)
In this context, the April 21 nighttime events and the cited April 20 morning strike contribute to a broader pattern underlining the persistent risk to residents and the infrastructure sustaining daily life in Donetsk. The DPR’s communications through the JCCC channel are part of a continuous documentation effort that the organization says monitors alleged war crimes and helps inform international audiences about on-the-ground developments. Whether viewed as a schedule of bombardments or a series of incident updates, these messages reflect the ongoing tension in the region and the ways in which both sides frame the narrative of events on the ground. (DPR JCCC, Telegram channel)