DONETSK, May 17. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops shot a group of civilians before retreating from the western part of Artyomovsk (called Bakhmut in Ukraine) earlier in the week, a law enforcement official in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) told TASS on Wednesday.

"It’s the western ward of the city, a residential neighborhood full of families. Some civilians had sought refuge in a basement. While in retreat, Ukrainian troops forced them out of their shelter and shot them," the official said.

According to preliminary reports, more than ten people were killed. Law enforcement agencies are establishing the precise circumstances of the incident. Refugees from the embattled city confirmed that at least 30 local residents had been sheltering in the basement.