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Military operation in Ukraine

Russian investigators identify over 220 people involved in shelling of Donbass

According to Chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin, charges have been filed in regard to 92 commanders and their subordinates

Russian Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

Russian Investigative Committee Chairman Alexander Bastrykin

© Alexander Shcherbak/TASS

MOSCOW, July 25. /TASS/. Russian investigators have identified over 220 people, including from the Ukrainian military high command, involved in the shelling of Donbass, Chairman of the Russian Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin said.

"In the course of a preliminary investigation, over 220 people have been identified as being involved in the crimes against peace and security of mankind and this figure includes representatives of the Ukrainian military high command as well as commanders of military detachments, who bombarded civilians," Bastrykin said in an interview with Russia’s Rossiiskaya Gazeta daily.

According to him, charges have been filed in regard to 92 commanders and their subordinates. "Ninety six people were put on the wanted list, including 51 commanders of the Ukrainian military," according to Bastrykin. He said that a total of 1,300 criminal cases had been initiated in regard to over 400 people.

The situation at the line of engagement in Donbass escalated on February 17. The Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) reported the most massive bombardments by the Ukrainian military in recent months, which damaged civilian infrastructure and caused civilian casualties.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced recognizing the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. Russia signed agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance with their leaders. Russia recognized the Donbass republics in accordance with the DPR and LPR constitutions within the boundaries of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions as of the beginning of 2014.

Russian President Putin announced on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics for assistance he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories, noting that the operation was aimed at the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine.

The DPR and the LPR launched an operation to liberate their territories under Kiev’s control.

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