Ukrainian army conducts artillery fire in Lugansk region for second day despite ceasefire - LPR
30 June 2014, 17:10 -- The Ukrainian army is holding artillery fire at the village of Metallist, the press office of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) said. 'The artillery fire at Metallist started yesterday and continued up until now,' the LPR press office said. 'This confirms yet again the fact that ceasefire, which has not ended yet, is not observed,' the press office said.
Ukrainian armed forces resume fighting in Slavyansk, casualties reported
Self-defense forces from the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) have reported large-scaled hostilities near the town of Nikolaevka.
'Fighting is under way at a roadblock in Nikolaevka, the Ukrainian forces are pushing forward, trying to oust us from our positions. We are fighting them off,' the local militia headquarters told Interfax on Monday.
Some people were killed as a result of today's fighting in Slavyansk, militiamen said.
'A shell hit a five-storey building, one of the apartments on the first floor, in Vinogradnaya Street. A girl has been hurt. We were told that some people were killed, but we do not know yet who and how many,' one of the Slavyansk self-defense activists told Interfax.
Ukrainian forces shell Slavyansk church during Sunday service
Ukrainian government forces have shelled a church in the city of Slavyansk in eastern Ukraine. An estimated 1,000 people were on the territory of the church during the shelling, which lasted for 30 minutes; however, none was killed, nor injured. Moreover, Ukrainian forces shelled the microdistrict of Artyom and the city's central marketplace, where several people died, the statement on the eparchy's website says.
'The shelling began on Sunday morning at 6 am GMT during a liturgy. People were praying, when Ukrainian forces produced a first volley from Karachun hill. One woman was nearly beheaded by an explosion. We've buried her,' archpriest Nikolay Fomenko said.
Ukrainian government forces have launched an attack on the Cathedral church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Slovyansk, according to the local diocese.
'There were several more volleys and one of the shells hit the Palyanitsa bread kiosk located a few meters from the church, tearing it apart and burning whatever was left. Having heard the first volley, the saleswoman ran out - and that saved her life,' said Archpriest Nikolay Fomenko, added.
'After the shooting began, everyone rushed into the church, people were praying on their knees. The wave of explosion hit the dome and smashed several stained-glass windows, prompting the people to pray even more. The volleys lasted for about half an hour,' the priest said.
Speaking about the attacks on the Artyom micro-district and the central market, he said, that 'civilians were killed in the Artyom area, two have already been buried today, Father Tikhon read a service for them. Our morgue is not working as there is no light in the city, so people have to bury their relatives in this warm weather straight away. One woman who was buried had her head nearly ripped off.'
Ukrainian government forces have been firing at Slavyansk churches for seven days now, he recalled.
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