US Department of State Spokesperson Jennifer Psaki has said that the United States blames Russian backed separatists for shelling Mariupol on Jan. 24, which cost the lives of 30 innocent civilians.
“We join our European counterparts in condemning in the strongest terms this weekend’s horrific assault by Russia-backed separatists on civilian neighborhoods in Mariupol, a peaceful city 25 kilometers outside of the Minsk ceasefire line, using Grad rocket systems and other advanced weaponry,” she said, during a press conference in Washington on Monday evening.
Psaki reiterated that the OSCE has also confirmed that the shelling came from separatist territory, as has been widely reported in major media outlets.
“While Russia talks about peace, the separatists they support continue to kill, and we continue to believe that they will be judged on their actions, not just on their words,” she stressed.
