
In recent days the city of Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast has become a scene of heavy escalation. In flagrant violation of the Minsk agreements, Russian hybrid army is shelling the positions of the Ukrainian Army and city’s residential areas using all available weapons, including MLRS Grad, 152 mm and 122 mm cannon artillery, 120 and 82 mm mortars, and tanks. Ukrainian authorities started evacuation of the residents from the old part of Avdiivka, the most severely hit by the incoming fire. Ukraine’s largest coke producer Avdiivka Coke and Chemical Plant is being put in mothballs as it was completely blacked out. The last power transmission line has just been cut. The plant is left without power. As the power and heating supply of Avdiivka, Yasynuvata and a number of villages in the area is dependent on the operation of the plant, the situation is quickly deteriorating into a humanitarian catastrophe. We are publishing here the address on the situation around Avdiivka of Iryna Fryz, head of Ukrainian mission to parliamentary assemblies of PACE and NATO.

Dear Mr. President, Dear Members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Permanent Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly addresses with the deep concern resulting from the activation of Russian terrorist forces in the Donbas and, particularly, shelling of the town of Avdiivka that brings to a humanitarian catastrophe threatening peaceful population. Since January 29, 2017, Russian occupation troops are carrying out mass shelling with the weapons prohibited by the Minks agreements, specifically, with “Grad” MLRS; 152 mm and 122 mm artillery systems; 120 mm and 82 mm mortars; tanks, as well as small arms. Violation of the Minsk agreement by the Russian party resulted in eight Ukrainian military men killed, 26 military men injured, and also in losses among civilians. Shelling of populated areas carries out from the residential sector of occupied Donetsk. Artillery strikes has caused de-energizing of the towns of Avdiivka and Yasynuvata, rendered inoperable water and heat supply systems, closed schools. Hospital of the town of Avdiivka is harmed by the shelling. The raion outside temperature reaches minus 25 degrees Celsius complicating the humanitarian situation. Please note that shelling of populated areas, particularly, residential districts, social infrastructure facilities (schools and kindergartens) is unlawful, groundless and extensive destruction of property not caused by military needs and is a gross violation of the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949. The Donbas escalation repeats the Russian Federation tactic in Syrian Aleppo aimed at a complete destruction of residential settlements with their population and triggering of a humanitarian crisis to create migration waves. The Russian Federation continues to blatantly ignore its own obligations under the Minsk agreements with intent to disallow stabilization of the situation and achievement of any progress in the security and humanitarian spheres. We call upon the Russian Federation to immediately stop the warfare and fully comply with the ceasefire regime. We address to the NATO Parliament Assembly members with a request to inform their National Parliaments on the situation in the Anti-Terrorist Operation zone in eastern Ukraine and to strengthen political and diplomatic pressure in order to stop the dangerous escalation in the Donbas and avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in the region. Sincerely yours, Iryna FRIZ, Head of the Permanent Delegation

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