OSCE concerned about shelling of residential neighborhoods in Kramatorsk
BRUSSELS. Feb 10 (Interfax) - Ertugrul Apakan, the chief monitor of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM), is concerned about an artillery attack on the town of Kramatorsk, the Donetsk region of Ukraine, in which several people were reportedly killed and dozens others injured, Apakan said in a statement available on the OSCE website on Tuesday.
"Today, in the early afternoon, the city of Kramatorsk in Donetsk region was struck by several shells which landed in heavily-populated residential neighborhoods. Deaths and injuries have been reported," the document says.
"That Kramatorsk was a relatively peaceful city until now gives us reason for concern that the violence is expanding to new areas," Apakan said.
"Once again, innocent civilians are bearing the brunt of a violent conflict characterized by increasing the death-toll and indiscriminate shelling," he said.
"I call upon all sides to exercise maximum restraint, and for an immediate ceasefire. Dialogue, and not the use of weapons, is the only path towards a durable peace," Apakan said.
The press service of the Donetsk state regional administration had reported earlier that eight civilians had been killed and 63 people injured, including 5 children and 32 military servicemen.
