Ukraine has evidence Russian strike on Red Cross staff in Donetsk region was intentional
That's according to the Prosecutor General's Office, Ukrinform reports.
On September 12, the Russian army committed another war crime in the Donetsk region.
Russian troops struck three vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross with barrel artillery at a humanitarian aid distribution point in the village of Viroliubivka in the Kostiantynivka territorial community.
The shelling affected five Red Cross workers.
Three men were killed at the scene of the attack. Two of their colleagues suffered shrapnel wounds and blast injuries.
The Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office has launched a pre-trial investigation into the violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The law enforcement officers established two places of impact of artillery shells and one place of impact of an attack drone.
Fragments of the mentioned munitions and the remains of an unmanned aerial vehicle were removed from the scene.
According to the results of the investigation, inspection of the scene, examinations and questioning of witnesses, it was established that the artillery shelling was carried out by two high-explosive 152mm artillery shells and a Lancet loitering munition, which is in service only with the Russian Armed Forces.
"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 UAV 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," Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin said.
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 hit was determined. According to the investigation, the firing positions of the artillery units were probably located near the village of Yahidne, Bakhmut district, Donetsk region, the territory temporarily captured by Russian troops.
According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the 1065th Artillery Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division and the Artillery Unit of the 200th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade are participating in the hostilities in the territory from which the shot was fired.
The said Russian units are armed with artillery systems for firing 152mm projectiles and Lancet attack drones.
The pre-trial investigation in the criminal proceedings is ongoing.
Photo credit: Prosecutor General's Office
