Story By: Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency: Newsflash
These images purport to show the aftermath of a Ukrainian strike on a market in Donetsk as the war rages on in eastern Ukraine.
The images begin by showing the aftermath of what has been reported as shelling on a civilian area in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
The images were obtained from the People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s along with a statement on Monday, 13th June, saying: “Ukrainian nationalists, forgetting about all the norms of morality and the rules of warfare, again fired at a mass gathering of people.
“This time, the Maisky market fell under the shelling in the Budenovsky district of Donetsk. Unfortunately, three people died from this terrorist act, [and] at least five were injured with varying degrees of severity.”
Andrey Trubetskoy, a military spokesperson for the DPR, can be seen in the footage, saying (in Russian): “Ukrainian soldiers, realising the helplessness of their position at the front, continue to take revenge on the civilians of Donetsk.
“Today, as a result of the shelling of the Budyonovsky district of the city, several people died in the Maisky market.”
The footage then shows firefighters putting out a burning shack. Civilians can then be seen crying and staring at the devastation in apparent shock.
A woman identified only as Irina and said to be a resident of Donetsk, then says: “A shell landed. I was at my workplace. My table moved and the doors swung open. I didn’t know what was going on at first. I ran out, a car was on fire nearby.”
Trubetskoy then asks: “Do you know how many people died?”
Irina replies: “No, they said a woman with a child and someone in a shop who was working. When will this horror end?”
Pieces of unidentified shrapnel can then be seen being held up to the camera before firefighters are shown hosing down smouldering wreckage as the footage ends.
Russian state media have reported that at least five people were killed in the incident on Monday after artillery strikes they attributed to Ukrainian forces hit the market and a maternity hospital, with it being reported that a child was among the people killed, with at least 22 people injured. We have not been able to confirm these reports.
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on 24th February in what the Kremlin is still calling a “special military operation”. Today marks the 111th day of the campaign.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that between 24th February and 14th June, Russia had lost 32,500 personnel, 1,434 tanks, 3,503 armoured fighting vehicles, 721 artillery systems, 229 multiple launch rocket systems, 97 anti-aircraft systems, 213 warplanes, 179 helicopters, 2,473 motor vehicles and fuel tankers, 13 warships/boats, 588 drones, 54 pieces of special equipment and 125 cruise missiles.
All the bridges to the besieged Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk have reportedly been destroyed, the local governor, Serhiy Haidai, has said. Ukrainian forces there are now cut off from any possible retreat and fierce street-to-street fighting is taking place in the city, which has been the focus of Russian artillery fire for weeks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian attacks on the cities of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk have turned them into “dead cities”. An aide to President Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is losing up to 200 troops a day.
President Zelenskyy has repeatedly asked for additional weapons from Ukraine’s allies.
The United Kingdom and the United States have said they are sending long-range missile systems to Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned of more attacks in Ukraine if the West sends long-range weapons.
Ukrainian officials have said that weapons are not arriving fast enough. An adviser to President Zelenskyy, Mykhailo Podolyak, has said that to end the war, they need “1,000 howitzers caliber 155 mm; 300 MLRS; 500 tanks; 2000 armored vehicles; 1,000 drones”.
Podolyak added: “Contact Group of Defense Ministers meeting is held in Brussels on June 15. We are waiting for a decision.”
President Putin has said that the West will not be able to wean itself off from Russian oil and gas for years.
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution recommending that the European Union grant Ukraine the status of candidate country for EU membership. Some 438 MEPs voted in favour of the resolution, with 65 voting against and 94 abstaining.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that Turkey has raised legitimate concerns in its opposition to Sweden and Finland joining the alliance and that talks to find a solution would continue.
