Ukraine’s government accused the rebels in the east of causing dozens of civilian deaths by hitting a column of civilian vehicles on Aug. 18, and a peaceful village three days before. Grad multiple rocket launchers were used in both cases, according to two government agencies.
“Near Luhansk, on the road between Khryashchuvate and Novosvitlivka, the mercenaries used Grad systems and mine-launchers imported from Russia to shoot at a column of civilians attempting to leave the combat zone,” Andriy Lysenko, spokesman of National Security and Defense Council told the press briefing on Aug. 18.
“Many people died, including women and children. The number of casualties is currently being determined,” he added.
In the meantime, the State Security Service leaked a tapped phone conversation between rebels on Aug. 18, presenting additional evidence that the militants in the east accidentally hit a village in Donetsk region when using Grad multiple rocket launchers on Aug. 15 and hit the village of Stepove (or Stepnoye in Russian), and then blamed the Ukrainian military forces for the incident.
According to the SBU, the people talking on phone were Volk (Wolf), who is deputy chief of security service in Donetsk People’s Republic, and Korsa, a female gunner of the Grad. Korsa was accusing the actual operators of the machine of inaccurate aiming.
The Security Service of Ukraine, or SBU, says intercepted conversations show Kremlin-backed insurgents talk about mistakenly striking and killing civilians with Grad rockets.
Korsa: “How was it possible to hit Stepnoye?”
Volk: “Where? Where is it?”
Korsa: “Stepnoye. This is near Berezovoye. I gave you coordinates.”
Volk: “I don’t know how it was possible to hit it. Are there peaceful (people) or who are there?”
Korsa: “There are peaceful (people). Three of our houses were hit. There were little children in one of them. Shit! It is giving the chills even to me!”
Then the rebels discussed ways to overcome psychological traumas cased by shelling at civilian objects with heavy drinks.
Volk: “Do you know what you need? I just come home, pour myself some 150 grams and take it… as the head really blows.”
Korsa: “150? I will definitely pour myself this kind of measure today.”
Volk: “This is right as I’m really losing nerve.”
In five hours the rebels went back to this conversation and decided to calm down and lay the blame at the Ukrainian forces as they had done before.
Korsa: “They (the rebel shooters) missed today in one minute and something as they said. I gave them run-up in seconds.”
Volk: “There is a fact. Ok. Nobody knows about this. The info has been run saying that “Ukrops” (Ukrainian troops) did this to peaceful (people). I am telling you – nobody is safe from this. It has already been done this way. This is war.”
The Ukrainian troops have also been seen using Grad at civilian objects, the claim which the government representatives constantly deny.
According to United Nations estimates, as of Aug. 10 at least 2,086 people were killed in Donetsk and Luhansk regions since the beginning of hostilities that started in mid-April. About 5,000 people have been wounded.
