Pro-Russian Fighters Kill Dozens Of Civilians In Refugee Convoy In Ukraine (PIctures)

Ukrainian officials said dozens of civilians were killed Monday in an attack by pro-Russian rebels on a convoy trying to escape fighting in the country’s east.

A rebel spokesman denied his forces were involved in the attack.

Ukraine accused the rebels of firing rockets and mortars on a convoy of buses carrying refugees who were trying to flee the region’s intense fighting near the separatist-held city of Luhansk.

Dozens of people, including women and children, were killed in the shelling on Monday, said Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for Ukraine’s national security council.

“The rebels were expecting the convoy and destroyed it entirely. We haven’t been able to count the number of victims … dozens [were killed],” spokesman Andriy Lysenko said, adding that he was unable to provide exact casualty figures.

Lysenko also said the rebels used ‘Grad’ systems and mine-launchers imported from Russia to target the civilian convoy, which it said was bearing white flags.

Aaccording to the Guardian

Dozens of people, including women and children, were killed on Monday when a convoy carrying refugees was hit by rocket fire near the eastern city of Luhansk, a Ukrainian military spokesman said.

Government forces and pro-Russian rebels accused each other of the attack on the vehicles, which were evacuating civilians from the towns of Khryaschuvate and Novosvitlivka.

“The rebels were expecting the convoy and destroyed it entirely. We haven’t been able to count the number of victims … dozens (were killed),” spokesman Andriy Lysenko said in a briefing to journalists.

Another military spokesman, Anatoly Proshin, said that evacuees were being transported by military vehicles flying white flags, which were hit by mortars and Grad rockets. MOREHERE