On 24 January, Russian-backed terrorists committed another heinous crime against humanity. As a result of the shelling of residential areas in Mariupol, in eastern Ukraine, more than 20 civilians have been killed and more than 80 wounded. According to preliminary information, the bombardment was carried out using multiple “Grad” rocket launchers from inside terrorist-controled territory.
Ukraine mourns the completely innocent civilian victims and expresses the whole country’s sincere condolences to their families and relatives. We wish the injured a speedy recovery.
This crime will be thoroughly and objectively investigated. Those guilty will be brought to justice. We call on the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to urgently join such an investigation.
The shelling took place after statements by one of the terrorist leaders about imminient attacks on Ukrainian cities, as well as a significant intensification of inflows of Russian armed forces and weapons into the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Russia, which continues to materially support terrorist activities and whose troops are directly involved in hostilities against Ukraine, is solely responsible for the murders of innocent civilians in Volnovakha, Debaltseve, Donetsk, Mariupol and many other towns and villages in Ukraine in recent weeks.
We seek international support that Russia will finally be compelled to keep its promises, rein in its proxies and stop sending troops and weaponry into Ukraine. We demand Russia fully implement the Minsk agreements which it has thus far supported only in words, including the immediate withdrawal of all its armed forces from the territory of Ukraine, the stabilization of the Ukrainian-Russian border and the establishment of international monitoring.
We call on the international community to condemn this and other crimes committed by terrorists. Today, as ever, we need joint decisive action from the international community against terrorist organizations and those who control them.