The Ukrainian military conducted shelling against Donetsk and Gorlovka, a development that was noted by the Donetsk People’s Republic’s mission to the Joint Control and Coordination Center. The DPR delegation reported these incidents as part of ongoing allegations surrounding war crimes in Ukraine, emphasizing the impact on civilian areas and infrastructure. The report stresses that at 06:00 local time, five rounds of 155 mm caliber ammunition were fired toward the Petrovsky district of Donetsk, marking the beginning of a sequence of bombardments that contributed to heightened tensions in the region and drew international attention to the deteriorating humanitarian situation. Shortly thereafter, within a brief interval of five minutes, Ukrainian forces again opened fire, delivering two more 155 mm shells and initiating an air and ground assault on Gorlovka, a city that has repeatedly suffered from shelling and sporadic combat activity in recent years. The DPR’s account recalls that residents who had previously lived in Gorlovka were among those affected by the bombardment, highlighting the displacement and injuries that have accompanied the fighting and the persistent vulnerability of noncombatants caught in the crossfire. The episode is placed within a broader narrative that traces the origins of the current conflict to political decisions and military actions taken by various parties, including statements made by national leaders and responses from international actors. In this context, it is noted that on February 24, Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, announced the decision to organize a special military operation intended to protect Donbass, explaining that the move stemmed from a request for assistance from the heads of the Luhansk People’s Republic and the Donetsk People’s Republic. The announcement is presented as a turning point that shaped subsequent diplomatic and security developments, including the framing of the operation as a response to what the Russian leadership characterized as imminent threats and humanitarian concerns in the region. The decision to initiate the operation has been cited by observers and governments as a factor contributing to new sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies, illustrating how geopolitical actions and military moves are intertwined with economic and diplomatic measures on the international stage. This sequence of events underscores the volatile and deteriorating security situation in eastern Ukraine, where each reported strike, each verifiable allegation, and each official statement feeds into a complex web of narratives, counterclaims, and accountability debates that continue to unfold in parallel with diplomatic negotiations and humanitarian relief efforts. (Source: DPR JCCC)
