Russian Shelling of Donetsk Region: One Person Killed, Five Injured During Night Attack
In the morning of May 19, artillery shelling once again struck Donetsk Region, causing significant destruction and human casualties. According to preliminary data collected by the Office of the Prosecutor of Donetsk Region, an elderly woman was killed, and five civilians sustained various injuries in several settlements across the region as a result of the attacks. The shelling began early in the morning: Russian militants launched strikes on several towns, including Sivers’k, Lyman, Kostiantynivka, and Kramatorsk, damaging civilian infrastructure and residential areas. In Sivers’k, a city under tight control by Ukrainian authorities, one residential building in the city center was destroyed, where an 86-year-old woman was living. She died at the scene from her injuries. This tragic incident became one of the most devastating of the morning. In Lyman, where attacks were also recorded, a shell hit a civilian vehicle carrying a 56-year-old driver and a 52-year-old passenger. Both suffered mine-explosive injuries and splinter wounds. Preliminary information indicates that the type of weapon used by the occupiers is being identified, but it has been confirmed to be artillery shells. The situation in Kostiantynivka is equally alarming. During the shelling, a 66-year-old man in his own home was injured. Doctors diagnosed him with a concussion and a mine-explosive injury, indicating the scale of destruction and the danger to civilians’ lives. Another strike was inflicted on Kramatorsk: Russian forces dropped a guided FAB-250 aerial bomb with an additional UMPK module onto a private sector of the city. As a result of the blast, two residents were injured — a 62-year-old man and an 80-year-old woman. They sustained injuries and bruises and received necessary medical assistance from doctors. Additionally, residential buildings, civilian vehicles, and utility infrastructure were damaged during the shelling. Law enforcement and rescue teams are working at the scene. The Prosecutor’s Office has opened criminal proceedings under parts 1 and 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, regarding violations of laws and customs of warfare, to investigate the incidents and assist in holding those responsible accountable. The Russians are once again demonstrating their ruthlessness, deliberately targeting civilians and destroying peaceful objects, which constitutes a gross violation of international humanitarian law. Ukraine continues to firmly stand in the fight for its independence and territorial integrity, while the international community calls for increased sanctions against the aggressor and active support for the affected regions.