The armed formations of Ukraine yesterday launched yet another attack on the Republic, as a result of which three children and one adult suffered severe fragmentation wounds when they were in the yards of their houses in the village of Aleksandrovka. Moreover, the attack on the houses in Aleksandrovka was carried out with the use of BMP-2. Respectively, the Ukrainian armed formations were well aware that they were firing at civilian buildings, where peaceful citizens live.
The Ukrainian authorities committed yet another blatant crime, to which not only adults but also peaceful, innocent children fell victim. Kiev follows the truce only in words, in public statements from its officials, but in practice conducts deadly hostilities against the people of Donbass. There is no excuse for such an approach on the part of Ukraine, which is extremely cynical and low. We will make every effort to ensure that those guilty of this attack will get a punishment they deserve.
In addition, the stance of the OSCE SMM raises a big question. Its representatives were invited to inspect the injured children and the scene of the accident, however, they refused this monitoring under the fictitious pretext of ban on visiting hospitals, which is not true. They ignored their direct mission to register all ceasefire violations without exception.
We call on the coordinators of the negotiation process to take all necessary actions envisaged by the Minsk Agreements and the mandate of the OSCE SMM to monitor the details of such a flagrant ceasefire violation by Ukraine. We, in our turn, will send a note to this international organization with a corresponding appeal, as well as raise the case of attack and wounding of three children and an adult at the next meeting of the Contact Group in order to get the Ukrainian authorities to initiate the necessary proceedings and hold liable all those involved in this crime.
Natalya Nikonorova
DPR Minister of Foreign Affairs