At least 5 dead, 21 wounded in latest Russian attacks in Donetsk

Kyiv, Jul 6 (EFE) .- At least five civilians died and another 21 were injured in the latest Russian attacks in the Donetsk region, in eastern Ukraine, where the military offensive launched by Moscow has intensified.

“Russia continues to kill civilians! On Jul. 5, the Russians killed five civilian residents of the Donetsk region: two in Avdiivka, one in Sloviansk, one in Krasnohorivka and one in Kurakhove,” regional military head Pavlo Kyrylenko said on Telegram, adding that 21 civilians were also injured.

According to provisional data, at least 570 residents of the Donetsk region have been killed since the beginning of Russia’s large-scale military invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24.

Another 1,494 have been injured, according to data from the Ukrainian government.

Kyrylenko also recalled that it is still impossible to determine the number of victims and deaths that have occurred in Mariupol and Volnovakha, cities belonging to Donetsk and that have been occupied by the Russians.

Moscow has focused its strategy in recent weeks on taking control of Donbas, in eastern Ukraine and with which it shares borders.

This territory includes the regions of Lugansk, already conquered by the Russians, and neighboring Donetsk, where the harshest clashes are taking place.

The two regions, with a large population of Russian origin, had declared themselves independent republics days before the start of the invasion and were recognized by Moscow.

With this, the Kremlin intends to control a corridor from the east of Ukraine to the south, which includes the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed in 2014. EFE

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