Shelling of the Red Cross mission in Donbas: the prosecutorʼs office gathered evidence of Russiaʼs involvement

Investigators gathered evidence that a truck with Red Cross workers was fired upon by Russian troops in Donetsk region. Then three employees of the mission were killed.

This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office.

The law enforcement officers established two places of impact of artillery shells and one place of impact of an unmanned aerial vehicle. Fragments of ammunition and unmanned aerial vehicles were removed from the scene.

The investigation established that the artillery bombardment was carried out with two 152 mm high-explosive high-explosive artillery shells and the Lancet unmanned barrage munition, which is only in service with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

"The 152 mm projectiles were used in tandem with a drone that has a laser range finder and independently detects and engages the target. This not only explains the wreckage of the Lancet unmanned aerial vehicle found at the scene, but also indicates the deliberate nature of the attack on vehicles and personnel of the International Committee of the Red Cross," noted Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin.

Taking into account the traces of damage to the surrounding buildings and cars, as well as the recorded locations of ammunition hits, the direction of the flight was preliminarily determined.

According to the investigation, the firing positions of the artillery units were probably in the area of the village of Yagidne, Bakhmut district, Donetsk region — this territory is currently occupied by Russian troops.

In the occupied territory, from which the attack was carried out, the following are participating in hostilities:

• 1065 Artillery Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division;
• artillery unit of 200 separate motorized rifle brigade.

These units are armed with artillery systems for firing 152 mm projectiles and Lancet attack UAVs.

A blow to the mission of the Red Cross

On September 12, Russian troops hit the vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the village of Virolyubivka in Donetsk region, probably with barrel artillery. Three employees died — they are citizens of Ukraine, said Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. Two more workers were hospitalized with injuries, one of them is in serious condition.

The prosecutorʼs office started an investigation into the violation of the laws and customs of war. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, then called on the world to respond "toughly and principledly" to Russiaʼs strikes.

The Red Cross strongly condemned the deadly Russian attack on the humanitarian mission in Donetsk region.