A top local official said at least four people were killed in the Donbass city in the first shelling in 2024 - RT reported.
According to local authorities, the Ukrainian army fired shelling at the city of Donetsk in the early morning of January 1. The government called on people to seek shelter.
The head of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Denis Pushilin, said at least four people were killed and 13 injured.
Meanwhile, emergency officials told TASS news agency that one journalist had died and another was injured but did not name them.
Officials said the casualties were reported after the city center suffered " shocks of shelling". One of the main hotels - the Donbass Palace - was attacked.
Mr. Pushilin issued a statement at around 1 a.m. local time, saying that Ukraine had used many missile launchers.
I urge everyone to stay in the shelter. The shelling could continue at any time, Pushilin wrote on Telegram.
Unverified videos posted on social media showed some of the explosions. People said they heard loud explosions shortly after midnight.
Other videos showed damaged apartment buildings and burned vehicles.
Donetsk is often attacked by missiles because it is located near the front line. The latest shelling came after Ukraine fired missiles at Russia's border city of Belgorod on December 30, killing 24 people and injuring 109.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Kiev used cluster bombs to carry out "intentional terrorism" against civilians. Russia has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on December 30.
In his speech at the United Nations, Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that US and UK counselors had helped Ukraine plan the attack on Belgorod.
On December 31, the Russian Defense Ministry announced a missile retaliatory attack on a number of targets in Ukraine, including an old hotel in Kharkiv, home to senior military planners directly involved in the Belgorod shelling.
According to Ukrainian officials, the shelling in Kharkiv injured 28 civilians.
