Donetsk clashes: up to 50 people died, more than 100 injured in massive punitive operation
27 May 2014, 14:36 -- Fatalities may reach 100 people in a punitive operation active stage of which Ukrainian law enforcement agencies started in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on Monday,Chairman of the Supreme Council presidium of the Donetsk People's Republic Denis Pushilin reported to TASS news agency on Tuesday. He added that there were up to 50 civilians among the victims. Earlier, Donetsk mayor Alexander Lukyanchenko said that 40 people were killed in fighting on May 26.
'At present, it is known that more than 50 militiamen have been killed. In addition, according to preliminary reports, from 20 up to 50 civilians died,' Denis Pushilin said.
Pushilin has noted that until now 'it is impossible to take away the bodies of all the victims, because snipers are shooting at everyone who attempts to approach them.'
Earlier, Donetsk mayor Alexander Lukyanchenko has confirmed that at least 40 people were killed in a military operation carried out by the Ukrainian security forces in the city. He said that all of them died in combat near the city's airport.
Parliament-appointed Minister of Interior Affairs Arseny Avakov has confirmed that 'dozens of people' died in the special raid.
Donetsk: 40 killed in fighting on May 26 - mayor
The fighting in Donetsk on May 26 between a Ukrainian law-enforcement contingent and the militia left 40 people dead, among them two civilians, Donetsk Mayor Alexander Lukyanchenko said. Lukyanchenko did not say to which conflicting party the fatalities belonged, according to the online newspaper Ostrov.
'Thirty-one victims injured in the fighting are in hospitals, among them four civilians,' he said.
The press service of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic told Interfax that about 200 people, among them civilians, were killed during the Ukrainian law enforcement operation in Donetsk on May 26 and 27.
A sniper killed a woman in the railway terminal, the press service said. The Donetsk People's Republic's official group on the VKontakte social network said, meanwhile, that 29 militiamen were killed in the fighting.
'Reports for yesterday's losses are: 18 militiamen wounded and 29 killed. The death toll includes three civilians,' the posting says.
Ukrainian law enforcement units attacked the Donetsk militia at the Donetsk airport on May 26 after the militia refused to lay down arms and to surrender.
The Donetsk railway terminal came under fire later in the day, leaving two people dead and a child wounded, according to reports.
Donetsk announces mobilization of medical personnel after at least 24 people were killed in attack
The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) has announced mobilization of medical personnel, DNR's press service reports. 'Attention! We need urgently doctors, volunteers, donors,' the statement reads. The mobilization was announced after headquarters of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Donetsk have been attacked, and 35 people were killed, 15 wounded when a truck was attacked on their way from the airport.
Presently, the situation in Donetsk is relatively stable. No firing or explosions are heard. But only several hours earlier the self-defence had a battle with the Ukrainian National Guard.
Battles continued on Monday near the Donetsk international airport. People's militia brought down two helicopters of Ukraine's Armed Forces in combat operations near the airport and got control over the airport, chairman of the presidium of the DNR Supreme Council, Denis Pushilin, told the Rossiya 24 television channel on Monday.
HQ of Donetsk Republic are attacked in Mariupol
In Ukraine' Mariupol (in south-east), headquarters of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Donetsk have been attacked, the republic's press service told the Russian news agencyTASSon Tuesday.
'Firing continues at our headquarters in Mariupol,' the source said. The attackers are wearing black uniforms with no markings, the source added.
No information about the dead or injured is available yet.
At least 24 killed as truck with wounded is fired in Donetsk - witness
In the firing at a truck which carried the wounded in Donetsk at least 24 people of the local self-defence forces were killed, correspondent of St. Petersburg's Fifth Channel Leonid Muravyev told TASS on the telephone. The correspondent was at the scene and witnessed the tragedy.
A truck, with carried the wounded from the airport, and which had a flag of the medical service, came under fire, the people's governor of the Donetsk region, Pavel Gubarev, reported on his page in Facebook on Tuesday.
'35 are killed, 15 wounded,' he wrote.
'The junta has finally and irrevocably taken the path of crimes against humanity. Battle continues at the Putilov Bridge. The Right Sector fire mortar shells at anything that moves. Massive civilian casualties,' Gubarev wrote on his page. 'In Donetsk, firing from an RPG hits the Vostok battalion's truck, which carries the wounded. The truck has a flag of the medical assistance service.'
Press service of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) does not confirm the information.
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