MOSCOW, July 27 (RIA Novosti) - The Ukrainian Army shelling of Horlivka in the country's Donetsk region claimed the lives of 13 people, including two children, according to Donetsk Regional State Administration.
"As a result of the fighting in Horlivka 13 people were killed, among them - two children (a one-year-old and a five-year-old). In Avdiivka, according to preliminary reports, at least five people were injured, four of them were taken to hospital," the regional administration said in a statement.
Earlier the same day, the militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic told RIA Novosti that the Ukrainian shelled the cities Horlivka and Avdiivka in the Donetsk region. In Horlivka the shells hit the hospital building and DonbasEnergo, eyewitnesses reported at least ten victims. In Avdiivka, according to the militia, five people were reported killed, and several dozen civilians were injured.
On Sunday, the National Guard of Ukraine also began a major operation to take over the city of Shakhtarsk. Two convoys of the National Guard of Ukraine simultaneously entered from the north and the south of the city, numbering at least a hundred units of military equipment. If the Kiev-backed forces manage to gain a foothold in Shakhtarsk, the cities of Horlivka, Donetsk and Makiivka will be surrounded.
The military operation launched by Kiev in the south-east of Ukraine has been ongoing since mid-April, when the Luhansk and Donetsk Regions refused to recognize the legitimacy of the new government. The fighting intensified after Donetsk and Luhansk regions proclaimed themselves independent people’s republics. Hundreds of people, including civilians have died in both regions over the past months.
Russia has repeatedly urged the Kiev authorities to stop the bloodshed in the region.
