by Chris Black
The Donbass republic’s officials have said that at least 17 people were killed in the shelling.
20 civilians murdered in #Donetsk by a Ukranazi ballistic missile strike. I'm only posting non graphic photos here. Those who want to see the rest can go here: t.co/hQBWSKDVI7
The Ukranazis, facing certain denazification, are trying to take as many with them as they can. pic.twitter.com/7sHJTSHFn0— 🇮🇳 🇷🇺 Bruce The Shark 🇷🇺 🇮🇳 (@BruceTh48823876) March 14, 2022
#Ukraine: A ballistic missile strike in the center of Russian-controlled Donetsk. As reported, 9-20 civilians were killed, dozens injured. The remains and character of damage allow us to say that a 9M79-1 Tochka-U missile carrying a 9N123K cluster warhead was used. pic.twitter.com/p2K0gn9Qsb
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) March 14, 2022
DPR military spokesman Eduard Basurin said the missile was intercepted and destroyed mid-air, but one of its explosive parts managed to hit the city. DPR defense officials reported that at least 17 people were killed and 28 wounded.
“If the missile hadn’t been shot down, we’d have a lot more casualties,” DPR head Denis Pushilin told the media. He added that the part of the missile fell in the center of Donetsk, not far from the main government building.
Pushilin claimed the missile was loaded with a cluster munition.
Responding to a reporter’s question whether Moscow views the incident as an act of terrorism, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov replied: “Beyond any doubt, it’s an attack on the civilian population.”
Statement by Russian Defence Ministry
▪️ On March 14, at about 11.30 a.m. Moscow time, Tochka-U tactical missile was fired at a residential block of Donetsk city from the territory controlled by the Kiev nationalist regime.
▪️ The shelling of the city was carried out from the north-western direction, from the area of Krasnoarmeysk settlement, which is controlled by Ukrainian nationalist units.
▪️ As a result of the explosion of a cluster warhead in the center of Donetsk, 20 civilians were killed. Another 28 people, including children, were seriously injured and taken to medical institutions.
▪️ The use of such weapons on a town with no armed forces firing positions, i.e. deliberately targeting civilians, is a war crime.
▪️ The armament of Tochka-U missile’ warhead with cluster ammunition proves that the purpose of the nationalists’ strike on the city was to kill as many civilians as possible.
❗️I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the decision to use this type of missile weapons is made, at least, by the command of the Ukrainian grouping of troops, after approval by the leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kiev.
▪️ All this once again confirms the Nazi and anti-human nature of the ruling regime in Ukraine today.