DONETSK, February 19. /TASS/. Ukrainian troops committed numerous war crimes in Avdeyevka, Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Head Denis Pushilin stated on air in a Rossiya-24 television broadcast.
"We already know, from the testimony of those people who are in relative safety at temporary accommodation centers, what they had to go through, especially over recent days and weeks, when the enemy’s treatment of the civilian population was particularly vicious. In general, multiple incidences have been recorded precisely of war crimes committed against civilians," Pushilin said.
The regional head stressed that all relevant facts are being documented and in the future will be used to establish the identities of those implicated in perpetrating crimes against civilians.
On February 17, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu informed Russian President Vladimir Putin that the Russian Armed Forces had taken full control of Avdeyevka, a key city in the Donbass region and suburb of Donetsk, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The military agency stressed that information on the advance of Russian forces had not been publicized until the complete defeat of Ukrainian troops was assured.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, following the takeover of Avdeyevka, units of Russia’s Battlegroup Center are continuing to carry out offensive actions in the DPR.
Avdeyevka is located 13 kilometers north of Donetsk.