Russian missiles have struck the center of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, killing four people and wounding many others, Ukrainian officials said.
A restaurant and shopping area were hit in Tuesday’s strike on the city, which is under Ukrainian control but close to Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine.
It is possible that people are trapped under the rubble and a rescue operation is underway.
An eyewitness told the BBC he saw “dead people, people screaming, people crying, huge chaos”.
A 17-year-old girl was reportedly among those killed in the attack, which took place around 19:30 local time (16:30 GMT).
There were also residential buildings at the epicenter of the blast, officials said.
Social media and drone footage from the scene showed extensive damage to buildings, some of which had been reduced to rubble.
Belgian freelance journalist Arnaud de Decker told BBC Newshour that he had been in the popular Ria Lounge restaurant just minutes before he was hit.
“There are still people under the rubble because it’s a big restaurant,” he said.
“Now I can hear people screaming under the rubble as rescuers try to save them.”
He estimated that up to 80 members of staff and customers were on the restaurant premises during the strike, so it is feared that the death toll could be “heavy”.
Authorities say at least 40 people were injured, including an eight-month-old baby and three foreigners.
A rescue operation is currently underway in the city centre, with security services assisting emergency services at the scene and evacuating victims.
Local authorities say there was a high concentration of civilians in the area when the missiles hit.
“This is the center of the city. These were public eating places crowded with civilians,” regional governor Pavlo Kirilenko told Ukrainian television.
Mr De Decker described the restaurant as a local “gathering centre” which was also popular with soldiers, journalists and volunteers.
Russian forces also attacked a nearby village, the Kramatorsk city council said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attack proved to Ukraine and the world that Russia deserves “only defeat and a tribunal, fair and legal courts against all Russian murderers and terrorists.”
The White House condemned Russia for its “brutal strikes” on Ukraine.
Kramatorsk has been frequently targeted by rockets since the invasion began in February 2022.
The city of 150,000 is one of the largest still under Ukrainian control in the besieged east. It is about 30 km (18 mi) from the front line.
This latest attack comes as Mr Zelensky said Ukraine’s counter-offensive was progressing on all fronts.
