Volnovakha bus attack

2015 Ukraine bus attack
Part of War in Donbass
Location of Donetsk Oblast in Ukraine
Location	Buhas Village near Volnovakha, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine
Coordinates	47°38′5″N 37°33′41″E
Date	January 13, 2015 (2015-01-13) 14:25 pm (UTC+2)
Target	Donetsk-Mariupol highway ( H 20)
Attack type	Shelling
Weapons	MRL BM-21 Grad (alleged)
Deaths	13
Injured	15
Perpetrators	Armed Forces of Novorossiya (suspected); Poroshenko's regime special services (suspected)

Buhas Bus Attack was an attack on a bus that killed 13 and injured 15 people. The attack was the biggest loss of life since the often violated ceasefire took place.

Events

External videos
Video of the attack from the checkpoint's webcam - 5 Kanal

On January 13, A bus was carrying civilians from the government-held city of Mariupol on the Donetsk-Mariupol highway ( H 20). Meanwhile, Rebel forces tried to shell government positions near the Buhas Checkpoint, which is 35km of the rebel held city of Donetsk. The checkpoint was also near the government held town of Volnovakha. Donetsk Prosecutor's Office reported that rebels fired more than 40 shells on the highway despite knowing the fact that it had been used only by civilians.

At this point, according to local police, the rocket attack then went astray, and hit the bus. 10 People, 6 women and 4 men, were killed on the spot, including 14-year-old girl. 18 people were injured, 3 of them died afterwards in hospitals. Vyacheslav Abroskin, leader of the Donetsk Interior Ministry, said "It was a direct hit on an intercity bus".

According to the head of the main command center of the Ukrainian army Bohdan Bondar, the attack was launched from the center of Dokuchaievsk as a provocation. When the attack happened, "there were reporters of local and Russian TV channels… who came there to film how our troops will open a return fire at the center of the city". The Ukrainian military didn't open fire in return to this provocation.

Rebel forces denied any involvement and said that the attack might have been staged by Ukrainian forces. Andrei Purgin, a rebel leader in Donetsk, said that “We don’t have the capability to shell this checkpoint either from the side of Telmanovo or Elenovka. The Ukrainian side has to figure out what has happened deep in its territory. It’s very far from the contact line.” Denis Pushilin, another rebel leader said that nearest rebel artillery was 50 km away, too far to reach the attack site.

Je suis Volnovaha

In social networks Ukrainian users made action Я є Волноваха (French: Je suis Volnovaha), like Je suis Charlie. 14 of January Ukrainian deputies in parlament showed posters with slogan Я — Волноваха (I'm Volnovaha).

Reactions

Ukraine — President Petro Poroshenko said the attack "chilled the heart", and blamed rebel forces for the attack. He also said "These deaths are on the conscience of the DPR and LPR gangs and on those who stand behind them."

European Union — European External Action Service made a statement, in which expressed condolences to the families of those who died. They underlined the need for strict observation of the ceasefire. "A lasting ceasefire remains key to the success of the current efforts to reach a sustainable political solution, based on respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity."

United States — State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf condemned the bus attack and intense fighting around the Donetsk international airport and said that these attacks were "just the latest egregious violations of the commitments made by the Russian-backed separatists".

Russia — Russian Foreign ministry’s envoy for human rights, democracy and the supremacy of law Konstantin Dolgov said that shelling of a passenger bus in eastern Ukraine undermines efforts to reach a peace settlement of the Ukrainian crisis. "Kiev continues to blatantly violate human rights", he underlined. Moscow “demands an impartial investigation of this crime... and punishment of those responsible".

Canada - John Baird, Foreign Minister of Canada said, “The deadly attack against passengers on a bus in eastern Ukraine is a reprehensible and unjustifiable act. The ongoing aggression by Russian-sponsored militants is in violation of the Minsk ceasefire agreements and must end immediately. This is one of the deadliest attacks against civilians since the signing of the ceasefire agreements and comes after an increased level of violence over recent days. On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims of this attack. Together with our allies and partners, Canada will continue to stand by Ukraine in resisting Russian aggression.”