People gathered in Kyiv to remember those killed during heavy shelling in Mariupol on Saturday, one day after rebels rejected a peace deal and
ADVERTISEMENTPeople gathered in Kyiv to remember those killed during heavy shelling in Mariupol on Saturday, one day after rebels rejected a peace deal and announced an offensive against the Ukraine government.
“It’s very sad that civilians are dying, said Kyiv resident Anna Murina. “They die from the hand of a neighbouring country, that we were considering as a close relative to us for a long time. And the same people, like me and my child, are dying.”
Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatsenyuk called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
“We are addressing our European partners and members of the UN Security Council to call for a Security Council meeting as Russia has broken not just the Minsk agreements, Russia is breaking basic principles of international law and humanity. They are ashamed of nothing, rockets were even aimed at the children’s store,” he said.
Russia insists it does not support the rebels.
Meanwhile Ukraine’s top rebel leader said an offensive had begun on the strategically important port of Mariupol.
“I do not agree that killers should be forgiven. I will say the following: today the offensive on Mariupol started,” said Head of self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic Alexander Zakharchenko.
“With God’s help in a couple of days we will close Debaltseve pocket. And I think this will be the best answer and the best way to remember those killed… because it will be our revenge on everybody.”
His words came on the same day that families buried their loved ones who were killed days earlier during during a bus-shelling in Donetsk.