Shells kill five at hospital in Ukraine as Kyiv hopes for US weapons
Human Rights Watch said in a report published on Tuesday that the rebels were
likely responsible for two major recent shelling incidents in which 41
civilians died, but also concluded that a series of attacks with explosive
weapons in Donetsk “appear to implicate government forces”.
Such attacks are an almost daily occurrence in Donetsk and on Wednesday five
civilians died inside and outside a hospital in Tekstilshchik district where
shells fell, according to city authorities.
A woman stands outside clinic 27, damaged after shelling, in Donetsk (AP)
The United Nations says indiscriminate shelling and an escalation in the
fighting have killed at least 224 civilians in the past three weeks, raising
the overall death toll to 5,358 people since April.
Speaking at the Vatican on Wednesday, Pope Francis used his weekly audience to
call for an end to the hostilities, saying that prayers for peace were a “protest
before God in times of war”.
“I think about you, Ukrainian brothers and sisters, and I think that this
is a war among Christians!” he said. “You have the same baptism,
and you’re fighting among Christians. Think about this, this scandal.”
EU leaders are expected to discuss fresh sanctions against Russia and the
separatists over their role in the conflict on Thursday. It is expected that
19 more people will be subjected to asset freezes and travel bans, five of
them minor Russian officials and the rest rebels.