Missile attack on buses fleeing violence in east Ukraine kills dozens of civilians
Convoy carrying women and children was hit by rebel mortar launchers despite display of white flags, according to government forces
Dozens of people, including women and children, were killed fleeing fighting in eastern Ukraine yesterday when their convoy of buses was hit by rocket fire, military spokesmen said.
Ukraine accused pro-Russian rebels of targeting the convoy, which it said was bearing white flags when it was hit near the eastern city of Luhansk. The separatists denied responsibility.
"The rebels were expecting the convoy and destroyed it entirely," military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said. "We haven't been able to count the number of victims ... dozens (were killed)."
The convoy had been in an area of fierce fighting between government forces and the separatists when it came under fire from rebel mortar launchers, the spokesmen said.
"A powerful artillery strike hit a refugee convoy near the area of Khryashchuvatye and Novosvitlivka. The force of the blow on the convoy was so strong that people were burned alive in the vehicles - they weren't able to get themselves out," military spokesman Anatoly Proshin said.
Describing the attack as a "bloody crime", Lysenko said: "A lot of people have been killed including women and children. The number of the dead is being established."