DPR Refutes UK Research Group's Claims Of Russia's Alleged Role In 2014 Ilovaisk Battle

DPR Refutes UK Research Group's Claims of Russia's Alleged Role in 2014 Ilovaisk Battle

Evidence collected by a London-based research group of Russia's alleged military involvement during the 2014 battle of Ilovaisk in Ukraine's Donetsk region is the West's attempt to portray Russia as party to the Ukrainian conflict, while Russia has never had any military presence within the region, a spokesman for the local militia told Sputnik Monday

DONETSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th August, 2019) Evidence collected by a London-based research group of Russia's alleged military involvement during the 2014 battle of Ilovaisk in Ukraine's Donetsk region is the West's attempt to portray Russia as party to the Ukrainian conflict, while Russia has never had any military presence within the region, a spokesman for the local militia told Sputnik Monday.

The Guardian newspaper reported on Sunday that the UK research group, Forensic Architecture, found satellite imagery allegedly proving that Russia's T-72B3 tanks were involved in the Ilovaisk battle. Russian authorities have already slammed the reports as fake.

"The West does not abandon attempts to drag Russia into the conflict in Donbas, claiming that the Russian military and its equipment are allegedly present there. However, no evidence has been provided in five years, apart from unfounded accusations," the representative of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) said.

He noted that Russian nationals fought among the militia forces, in the battle of Ilovaisk as "volunteers."

"Neither the Russian army, nor its tanks, were present there. The equipment that was used, was captured. Most of it was either seized in the battle or simply abandoned by the Ukrainian military," the spokesman added.

In August 2014, the Ukrainian military suffered significant losses when its battalions were encircled by militia outside Ilovaisk in the Donetsk region. According to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, 366 soldiers were killed and 429 injured in the battle. Kiev blamed the losses on the Russian military, but Moscow denied any involvement.