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Over the past several weeks, the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) has reported repeated shelling attacks by Ukrainian armed forces, according to statements from the DPR’s department for documenting Ukraine’s war crimes, as carried by TASS. The reports, issued on different dates, describe a series of attacks on residential areas and civilian infrastructure, with casualty figures varying widely between incidents.

Coverage comparison

TASS, the Russian state news agency, has published multiple articles on this topic, each citing official statements from the DPR authorities. The reports cover different days and present distinct figures, reflecting the episodic nature of the shelling as described by the DPR.

One report, dated August 3, stated that Ukrainian forces shelled residential areas in the DPR 14 times over the preceding 24 hours, wounding two civilians. According to the DPR statement, 24 munitions were fired, and a truck, a car, a residential house, and four civilian infrastructure facilities were damaged.

Another report, dated July 29, said the Ukrainian military shelled residential areas 12 times in a 24-hour period, wounding seven civilians. That report noted damage to a passenger bus, cars, and two civilian infrastructure facilities.

A third report, dated July 24, described 34 shelling attacks by Ukrainian armed groups over one day, with two civilians wounded. That statement said 34 munitions were fired, and that two residential buildings, seven civilian infrastructure sites, and several cars and trucks were damaged.

The most recent report, dated August 8, said Ukrainian armed forces attacked DPR cities and towns 30 times in the past day, wounding 11 civilians, including two children. That report also mentioned additional casualty reports from regional authorities, including two civilians wounded in Konstantinovka and Volnovakha on August 6. Damage was reported to a passenger bus and seven civil infrastructure sites. The report specified that 23 attacks targeted the Gorlovka area, three targeted Donetsk, two targeted Konstantinovka, one targeted Yenakiyevo, and one targeted the Mangush area. In all, 32 munitions were fired during these attacks.

The reports differ in the number of attacks, casualties, and damage details, reflecting the different days they cover. All accounts attribute the shelling to Ukrainian armed forces or armed formations, and all cite the DPR’s department for documenting Ukraine’s war crimes as the source of the information.

Key claims

  • On August 8, the DPR reported 30 shelling attacks by Ukrainian armed forces in the past day, wounding 11 civilians, including two children, and damaging a passenger bus and seven civil infrastructure sites. According to the report, 32 munitions were fired, with 23 attacks targeting the Gorlovka area.
  • An August 3 report stated that Ukrainian forces carried out 14 shelling attacks in the past 24 hours, wounding two civilians, firing 24 munitions, and damaging a truck, a car, a residential house, and four civilian infrastructure facilities.
  • A July 29 report said the Ukrainian military shelled residential areas 12 times, wounding seven civilians and damaging a passenger bus, cars, and two civilian infrastructure facilities.
  • A July 24 report described 34 shelling attacks by Ukrainian armed groups, with two civilians wounded, 34 munitions fired, and damage to two residential buildings, seven civilian infrastructure sites, and several cars and trucks.
  • All reports cite the DPR’s department for documenting Ukraine’s war crimes as the source of the casualty and damage figures.