UCC STRONGLY CONDEMNS KILLING OF CIVILIANS IN EASTERN UKRAINE
Ottawa – 13 January, 2015. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) strongly condemns the murder of innocent civilians by Kremlin-backed terrorists, who today shelled a checkpoint near Volnovakha, Donetsk oblast in Eastern Ukraine. One of the shells hit a civilian bus, killing at least 10 people and injuring another 16.
“The UCC strongly condemns this heinous attack on innocent people by Kremlin-backed terrorists. These are the same terrorists that fired upon and killed 298 innocent people traveling on Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17. Today, Russia’s war against Ukraine, and Russia’s continued supply of soldiers, arms and funds to these terrorists has led to the death of ten more innocent people,” stated Paul Grod, President of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. “On behalf of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress I offer my most sincere condolences to the families of the victims. Vichnaya Yim Pam’yat. May their Memory be Eternal.”
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that this horrible tragedy was not a coincidence, stating that, “There are no positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the checkpoint. Thus, the terrorists fired at the civilians intentionally.”
The UCC calls on the international community to designate the so-called “Donetsk Peoples Republic” and the so-called “Luhansk Peoples Republic” as terrorist organizations, as well as increase sanctions and declare Russia a state sponsor of terrorism.
