Russia firing up to 2,500 shells and rockets at Donetsk region daily - governor

Governor Vadym Filashkin said this in an interview with Reuters, Ukrinform reports.

"The enemy shells (the region) from 1,500 to 2,500 times a day," Filashkin said, adding he believed Moscow was still aiming to capture the entire region.

The governor said the Kurakhove power plant, one of the region's few remaining large-scale sources of electricity generation, had been forced to close a week ago due to Russian shelling. He said this was part of a wider campaign.

"The enemy is trying to destroy critical infrastructure objects so that people find it difficult to remain in the region in winter," he said.

Filashkin said the town of Avdiivka, home to the largest coking plant in Europe and the target of a massive Russian assault since October last year, was "95-98% gone."

"The enemy dropped about 200 guided aerial bombs on Avdiivka alone over the (last month). They are totally destroying it," he said.

Local authorities say the number of civilians in the town has dwindled to less than 1,000. Filashkin said he was pleading with those remaining to leave for their own safety.

Photo: Vadym Filashkin / Facebook