MOSCOW. Feb 17 (Interfax) - The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case on last year's discovery of mass graves of local residents who were killed in the Ukrainian army's gunfire in Donbas.
"Five spontaneous mass graves were discovered from August to October 2021 near the town of Snizhne, the populated locality of Slavianoserbsk, near the residential area of Sokolohorivka in the town of Pervomaisk, the populated locality of Vidne-1 near Luhansk and on the outskirts of the Verhneshevyrivka village in the Krasnodon district," the committee's website said on Wednesday.
The remains of at least 295 civilians who died in the shell attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in 2014 were exhumed, it said.
In this regard, the main investigation department opened a criminal case under an article of the Russian Criminal Code for cruel treatment of the civilian population, and the use of means and methods prohibited by international treaty during an armed conflict.
"Disregarding international agreements and acts, since April 2014, representatives of the Ukrainian security forces have been constantly shelling settlements in Donbas, using indiscriminate lethal weapons designed to eliminate people and infrastructure as effectively as possible," the statement said.
This resulted "not only in the destruction of residential buildings and vital facilities, but also in the deaths and injuries of thousands of civilians, Russian-speaking groups that are not involved in the military conflict," the Investigative Committee said.
"The intent to eliminate Donbas residents is obvious, and Russian investigators have recorded hundreds of such incidents identified as resulting from the use of prohibited means and methods of warfare," the committee said.
"During the investigation of these crimes, evidence was obtained about randomly placed common and unmarked graves which had to be dug outside specially designated areas due to the ongoing hostilities," it said.