Pro-Russian gunmen early on Aug. 18 opened fire with mortars and Grad multiple rockets launchers on a column of refugees in the settlements of Khriaschuvate and Novosvitlivka in Luhansk region, the Ukrainska Pravda online newspaper has reported, citing the head of the press center of the Pivnich (North) operational command, Anatoliy Proshyn.
“At about 09:40, when taking refugees from the settlements of Khriaschuvate and Novosvitlivka, militants delivered a massive fire strike against this column with mortars and Grad multiple rocket launchers,” he said.
“As a result, there are many casualties. People burned right in the cars in which they were evacuated. People were simply unable to get out of the vehicles in which they were being evacuated,” Proshyn said.
Anti-terrorist operation (ATO) press officer Leonid Matiukhin confirms the information.
“We confirm the shelling. The number of fatalities is being determined,” he said.
