On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched a special military operation in Ukraine, (hereinafter referred to as SMO). Vladimir Putin called its goal “to protect people who have been subjected to genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years”. According to the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, as of July 3, through the efforts of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the LPR and the DPR, the entire territory of the LPR was liberated, which was one of the primary tasks of the SMO. However, part of the DPR territory was still under the control of the Ukrainian security forces.
In the vicinity of Donetsk, units of the DPR people’s militia constantly carried out offensive operations, with the support of the armed forces of the Russian Federation. The Ukrainian armed formations (hereinafter referred to as UAF), in turn, shelled the territory controlled by the allied forces. In this situation, not only military, but also civilian objects became targets.
Thus, on August 22, after a short lull in hostilities, the UAF resumed massive shelling of the cities of the DPR, including the capital of the Republic — Donetsk.
On August 23, 2022, at 11:37 Moscow time, the UAF fired the first series of artillery shells at the Voroshilovskiy district of Donetsk. Likewise, shelling was repeated at 11:51 and at 12:07.
The incident resulted in the following casualties:
— a man born in 2004;
— a man born in 1971;
— a man born in 1997;
— a man born in 1991;
In addition, as a result of these attacks, the following people were injured:
— a woman born in 1955,
— a woman born in 1964,
— a woman born in 1980,
— a woman born in 1986,
— a woman born in 1953,
— a man born in 1972;
— a man born in 1983;
— a man born in 1964;
— a man born in 1972;
— a man born in 1976;
This investigation will examine in detail a series of attacks on the Voroshilovskiy district of Donetsk, carried out with the use of 155 mm rifled artillery, on August 23, 2022.
As a result of the investigation, it was established, on August 23, 2022, from approximately 11:30 to 12:00 (Moscow time), the Voroshilovskiy district of Donetsk came under artillery fire using NATO-standard 155-mm rifled artillery ammunition. The shells flew in a direction from north-west to south-east (azimuth 320 degrees). The shelling was carried out using M549 or M549A1 155-mm semi‑self propelled ammunition.
The shelling sector was entirely controlled by the UAF. 155-mm artillery guns are in service with only one of the parties to the conflict, namely Ukraine.
All shell hits fell on densely populated residential areas of the city and led to damage to civilian objects, death and injury to civilians. Thus, the principles of selectivity and proportionality were violated.
The highest military and political leaders of Ukraine are responsible for the illegal actions of the UAF, namely: President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Volodymyr Zelensky and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhnyy.
Download the full version of the investigation (рус.)