Five civilians have been killed and another ten injured as a result of shelling by Russia-backed separatists since the beginning of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in eastern Ukraine on April 30, the official website of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported on Nov. 6.
During a meeting with Ambassador of Austria to Ukraine Hermine Poppeller in the area of the Joint Forces Operation, the JFO Commander Serhiy Nayev noted that the separatists continued shelling settlements, in particular, with the use of heavy weapons. “Since the beginning of the operation of the Joint Forces, 58 attacks on populated areas and one attack on a part of the terrain were recorded, which killed five civilians and injured 10,” the message said.
In addition, over the last month, the number of civilians who were killed or injured as a result of the operation of explosive devices in the territory outside Ukraine’s control has increased. “This is a result of the Russian aggressor’s neglect of any mine safety standards. As a result of the detonation, five civilians were killed by enemy mines, three of them children, another boy was seriously injured,” Nayev said.
