On January 20, 2015, the LPR armed formations broke through to the Bakhmutka highway, occupied the Zholobok village and the 31st checkpoint, they also stormed the 29th checkpoint. The 24th brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was practically surrounded. Ukrainian Armed Formations (hereinafter referred to as UAF) failed to repulse the attack of the LPR armed formations and retreated along the Bakhmutka highway. The 28th, 29th and 37th checkpoints were contested.
UAF retreated along the Bakhmut highway under the cover of artillery. The artillery fire was indiscriminate, among other things, strikes were made against densely populated residential areas. And finally, on January 21, 2015, the town of Stakhanov came under massive shelling, as a result civilian facilities, power lines, gas pipelines, schools and a kindergarten were hit. Significant damage was done to the housing stock. Eight people died, including two children, more than 30 civilians were injured.
The list of persons killed that day (see Fig. 1):
- Vladimir Sergeevich Romanyuk, 29.10.1995 — 21.01.2015
- Valentina Dmitrievna Kapitsa, 11.05.1953 — 21.01.2015
- Arina Gusak, 04.09.2010 — 21.01.2015
- Natalia Evgenievna Gusak, 04.10.1990 — 21.01.2015
- Nadezhda Vasilievna Kucherenko, 01.01.1938 — 21.01.2015.
- Alexander Borisovich Yakovets, 14.08.1956 — 21.01.2015
- Sergey Alexandrovich Danilov, 17.08.1958 — 21.01.2015
- Sergey Mikhailovich Serdyuk, 18.09.1980 — 21.01.2015
As a result of the investigation, it was established, on January 21, 2015, from 07:45 to 11:00 a.m. local time, the town of Stakhanov came under artillery fire from the BM-30 Smerch multiple launch rocket system. The shells flew in a direction from the west – north-west to the east – south-east. The shelling was carried out with the use of 300 mm high-explosive ammunition, namely 9M55F rockets.
The 1st battalion of the UAF 107th rocket artillery regiment under the command of Colonel Alexander Kelembet could be in the disposition of the shelling sector. The latter is responsible for the actions of his subordinates.
Download the full version of the investigation (рус.)