2015-01-22 18:04:00

Russia, Ukraine Blame Each Other For Deadly Bus Blast


(Vatican Radio) Russia and Ukraine accuse each other for Thursday's fatal shelling at a bus stop in eastern Ukraine that officials say killed at least nine people, while other sources claim as many as 13 people have died.   

The facility and the bus were hit by a shell or mortar in the rebel-held city of Donetsk, an area where government forces fight against pro-Russian separatists.

Listen to this report by Stefan Bos

Thursday's deadly bus blast, the second in as many weeks, is a cruel reminder of the reality on the ground as experienced by desperate residents in Donetsk. 

“We heard the blast and ran here,” said a man at the scene. “We saw the bus was destroyed, the car had exploded. There were lots of dead bodies. There was a wounded man on the bus. He was asking for help.”

They added to a long list of victims. Europe's security organization OSCE now says more than 5,000 people have died since fighting erupted between government forces and pro-Russian separatists in April.     

Thursday's bus blast also came just hours after ministers from Ukraine and Russia agreed on the withdrawal of heavy weapons from a demarcation line line in eastern Ukraine. 

Ukrainian prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk blames Moscow for the attack, which also injured some 20 people.

 “Russian terrorists have today committed another horrible act against humanity. And responsibility for that lies with the Russian Federation,” he said, at a pre-scheduled ceremony attended by priests and other officials.   

Moscow has accused Ukraine’s forces of being behind the shelling. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov calls it 

a “crime against humanity”, an act of “gross provocation” designed to undermine the peace process.

Fierce fighting also continues at what remains of Donetsk Airport with at least six Ukrainian servicemen killed in the space of 24 hours. 

In a big blow for Kiev its forces had to withdraw from the main terminal, though the government insists that other parts of the airport are still under its control.

America's United Nations ambassador Samantha Power makes clear she understands why Kiev refuses to withdraw its forces from these and other sites in eastern Ukraine as proposed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.    

"When [Ukrainian] President Poroshenko did not accept [Russian President] Putin's offer [to withdraw troops] Russia immediately launched a diplomatic and media blitz claiming it was prove that Ukraine is not interested in peace," she told the United Nations Security Council. 

"Let us pull the veil away from Putin's peace plan and call it for what it is - a Russian occupation plan," Power added during a special meeting of the 15-member body on Ukraine.

In fact, Kiev claims Russia has some 9,000 troops in eastern Ukraine, charges Moscow denies. 

 

  

  








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