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Ukrainian nationalists kill four, wound five civilians in Mariupol — Russian top brass

On March 6, the Ukrainian nationalists opened fire from behind civilians, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Igor Konashenkov specified

MOSCOW, March 7. /TASS/. Ukrainian nationalists used more than 150 Mariupol residents as a human shield, killing four and wounding five civilians, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov said on Monday.

"Yesterday, at about 17:00 Moscow time, forces of the DPR [Donetsk People’s Republic] were confronted with a unit of Ukrainian armed nationalists in Victory Avenue in Mariupol. The militants were pushing more than 150 civilians ahead of them, using them as a human shield," the spokesman said.

Upon detecting fighters of the DPR people’s militia, the Ukrainian nationalists opened fire from behind civilians. As a result of fire, the Ukrainian nationalists killed four and wounded five civilians, the spokesman said.

The people’s militia forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic evacuated liberated civilians through the Vinogradnoye district from Mariupol to the territory under their control. All of the evacuees received necessary assistance, the general said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine in order to protect people "who have been suffering from abuse and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years." The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories and the operation was aimed at demilitarizing and denazifying Ukraine.

When clarifying the developments unfolding, the Russian Defense Ministry reassured that Russian troops are not targeting Ukrainian cities, but are limited to surgically striking and incapacitating Ukrainian military infrastructure. There are no threats whatsoever to the civilian population.