Ukraine has proof of Russian involvement in 2015 rocket attack on civilians: reports
PR dla Zagranicy
Victoria Bieniek
08.05.2018 11:30
Russia’s armed forces were involved in the 2015 rocket attack on Mariupol, southeastern Ukraine, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has said, according to reports.
A charred civilian vehicle from Mariupol after the 2015 attack, on show in Kiev. Photo: Qypchak/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Some 30 civilians were killed and around 100 were injured in the attack on January 24, 2015, which targeted residential suburbs of the strategic port town, SBU chief Vasyl Hrytsak said, according to Poland’s niezalezna.pl website.
Hrytsak said he had proof that the “act of terror” was carried out by Russian soldiers.
The city was hit by more than 100 projectiles from Grad rocket launchers located in Russia and Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, which since 2014 has been occupied by pro-Russian separatists, the SBU said, according to reports.
According to reports, Hrytsak said that he had recordings of telephone conversations that suggest the attack was coordinated from Russia by General Stepan Yaroshuk, commander of rocket and artillery forces of the Southern Military District of the Russian army, and from separatist-occupied parts of Ukraine by Russian Colonel Alexandr Capluk.
Hrytsak also said investigators had evidence of Russian forces crossing the Russo-Ukrainian border ahead of the attack, according to reports.
The SBU chief said that the evidence would be handed over to the International Court of Justice, niezalezna.pl reported. (vb/pk)