DONETSK, January 15. /TASS/. A civilian bus in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region could have been blown up by a directed action mine, the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic’s human rights envoy said on Thursday, citing local prosecutors.

“The DPR will conduct its own investigation,” Daria Morozova was quoted by the official Donetsk new agency as saying. “There is a preliminary conclusion that this was a directed action mine,” she said.

The self-proclaimed Donetsk republic’s Prosecutor-General's Office has launched an investigation into “terrorism which has led to the deaths of people,” Morozova added.

The tragedy in the city of Volnovakha, some 60 kilometers to the southwest of Donetsk, occurred on January 13. Twelve civilians were killed and at least 16 were wounded.

Kiev insists that the bus was shelled by Donetsk militia from multiple launch rocket systems. The self-proclaimed republic’s leadership denied its role in the attack, saying the tragedy is the result of Kiev’s provocation.