Over the past day, the Ukrainian terrorists have not stopped shelling the settlements of our Republic.
In the Gorlovka direction, the invaders of the 24th motorized brigade, led by the war criminal GUDZ, shelled the settlement of the 6/7 mine with grenade launchers and small arms.
In the Donetsk direction, under the fire of the military from the 28th motorized brigade, came the settlement of STAROMIKHAYLOVKA which, on the order of the brigade commander Marchenko, was shelled with the IFV weapons, grenade launchers and small arms. The ICRC representatives came under fire in this settlement, who provided humanitarian assistance to civilians, distributing building materials for the reconstruction of houses that had suffered earlier from the Ukrainian aggression.
In the same direction, the terrorists from the 92nd motorized brigade, commanded by the war criminal Kokorev, shelled the settlement of YASINOVATAYA with 82-mm mortars.
In the Mariupol direction, the settlements of KOMINTERNOVO and DZERZHINSKOE were shelled by the military from the 36th Marine brigade, led by the criminal Gnatov.
As a result of shelling STAROMIKHAYLOVKA by the Ukrainian punishers, houses and power lines were damaged in Shevchenko, Dnepropetrovsky and Ivan Marchenko streets.
According to our information, the commanders of the units that shelled the settlement of STAROMIKHAYLOVKA, were aware of the presence of the ICRC representatives in this settlement, as well as of their humanitarian action. These events were held according to the plan approved by both our and the Ukrainian side in July. On the eve of the trip, the ICRC representatives had received written guarantees of security from the Ukrainian and our sides. As usual, Ukraine did not keep its promises.
As we learned, the ICRC representatives staying so close to the front line, were the true target of the attack. According to Kiev's insidious plan, in the event of injuries or even death to some of the international volunteers, the Ukrainian side would have made every effort to charge us with these crimes.
As we see, the meanness and bloodthirstiness of the Ukrainian side has no limits. For them, the death or injury of a peaceful person and a foreign volunteer is just another excuse to once again try to present us as criminals. Although in fact, it is them who have long become criminals not only against existing international legal acts, but also before their conscience.
The ICRC representatives have also confirmed the fact of the shelling and the fact that only owing to the actions of the local residents who sheltered the volunteers, there were no casualties.
Moreover, our intelligence has obtained data on the preparation of no less vile provocation by the Ukrainian side, in which representatives of international observers will again become a bargaining chip. However, this time an inanimate object is chosen.
In particular, according to available information, for the purpose of accusing us of violating international agreements, as well as impeding the continuation of monitoring equipment banned by the Minsk agreements, at the Ukrainian positions, the UFO headquarters is currently carrying out a plan consisting of several stages.
At the first stage, the units of the AFU information-psychological operations are spreading information about, allegedly, bringing the air defense units of the People's Militia of our Republic to the highest degree of combat readiness.
At the same time, subdivisions of the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 1039th anti-aircraft missile regiment of the AFU are being deployed at a position near the contact line in the areas of the settlements PAVLOPOL and VODYANOYE , which, in case of the successful secret transportation, are to bring down an OSCE drone monitoring this area near the contact line or over our territory.
After completing the task, launching systems of the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 1039th regiment of the AFU are to return to their positions in the vicinity of the settlements KASYANOVKA and MEMRIK, respectively. At the same time, the UFO headquarters, in cooperation with the IPsO units, are to sprear the information accusing our air defense units of the UAV destruction.
In order to prevent groundless accusations of our side, we call on international observers, in the case of implementing the Ukrainian plan, not to rush to conclusions and conduct a thorough investigation of a possible incident.
Realizing that without the world community support, Ukraine is just nothing, the Ukrainian security forces are trying to draw other countries into the conflict in Donbass, even without their knowledge of it.
On our positions in the Avdeevka area, we have repeatedly noted the ostentatious display of flags of foreign states, such as Poland, the USA, Hungary, the Czech Republic. In recent days, the flag of the People's Republic of China has been prominently displayed on the UFA positions.
In international practice, this demonstrates the participation of the country or its citizens in a military conflict. On the AFU side there are really mercenaries from the countries of the west and Europe, but it is very doubtful that people in China are even aware of the war in Donbass, and even more so come here as volunteers.
I believe the authorities of China will be unpleasantly surprised by the appearance of the flag of their state on the AFU positions. On our side, we will try to get the photo and video evidence of violations of international conventions by Ukraine to reach the addressee.
Head of the DPR Armed Forces' Press Service,captain Daniil Bezsonov