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Five killed in attack on hospital in east Ukraine

Wednesday, 04 February 2015 3:30 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 04 February 2015 3:31 PM ]

File photo shows a Ukrainian soldier at the gate of the city of Debaltseve in Donetsk region in east Ukraine. (AFP Photo)

At least five people have reportedly been killed as artillery shells exploded near a hospital in the western part of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.

Local officials say four of those killed were patients at a hospital that was partially damaged. The attack also left nearly a dozen schools and kindergartens damaged in the pro-Russia stronghold.

Other reports however have put the fatalities higher, with a local emergency service telling Interfax there are multiple casualties at the hospital with preliminary counts showing more than 15 people were killed.

The hospital was used as a clinic to treat those injured in recent confrontations between pro-Russia and government forces.

Pro-Russia forces swiftly blamed Kiev for the brazen attack, saying that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which mediates the talks between them and the government, should investigate the incident.

“The OSCE monitors should investigate the site of the attack, determine the direction and the location, from which the barrage was fired and report their findings,” spokesman for the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic Andrei Purgin said.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian army says four of its soldiers have been killed and more than two dozen injured in fighting with pro-Russia forces over the past 24 hours.

Ukraine has seen a surge of violence in its east as pro-Russia militants continue battling government forces in the strategic city of Debaltseve, which connects Donetsk to Lugansk, another militant stronghold.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Sunday that thousands of Debaltseve residents were evacuated from the city. Amnesty international has said that around 7,000 people remain trapped in the city. OSCE on Tuesday demanded a three-day ceasefire to be established around the town.

International efforts to establish a truce in east Ukraine have failed so far with Western governments accusing Russia of supporting the armed militancy against the Ukrainian government. Moscow denies the charges, saying Kiev must stop the suppression of the ethnic Russian population in the area.

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