Ukrainian Military Opened Mortar Fire At Water Filtration Plant In Donetsk - Militia

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th July, 2019) The Ukrainian forces launched mortar fire on the Yasynuvata district of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) where a water filtration plant is located, a DPR representative in the Joint Center for Control and Coordination told reporters on Saturday.

The Donetsk water filtration plant is part of the civilian infrastructure that is intended to be immune from military attacks under international law. It supplies water to people on both sides of the control line between Ukraine and its breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The DPR has repeatedly reported attacks on the plant by Ukrainian forces.

"Today at 10:30 p.m. local time (19:30 GMT), the Ukrainian armed formations opened fire from the positions in Avdiivka toward Yasynuvata using caliber 120 mm mortars, heavy machine guns and firearms.

Shelling reached the Donetsk water filtration plant district. As of now, three 120-millimeter caliber mortars have been fired. The staff is in shelter," the representative said.

In April 2014, the Ukrainian government launched an offensive against its eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, known together as Donbas, after they proclaimed independence following what they considered to be a coup in Kiev two months earlier. Even though peace in Donbas has been mediated by various actors and sides have managed to conclude de-escalation agreements, ceasefire violations continue to occur.

The United Nations has repeatedly called upon the conflict parties to refrain from armed hostilities against civilians and civilian infrastructure. According to recent UN estimates, more than 3,300 civilians have died and over 7,000 been injured during the conflict.