Ukraine’s forces level the town Kramatorsk, bomb a Christian church during mass in Slavyansk

The situation continues to deteriorate in Kramatorsk as the city is being flattened by intense bombardment from Ukraine forces. The Ukraine army is using all weapons at their disposal including gas and multiple Grad and Hurricane salvos. Heavy armor is reportedly moving in on Kramatorsk with a full regiment including battle tanks.

Heavy civilian casualties continue to mount in Kramatorsk and East Ukraine, as civilians living in the area are being deliberately targeted. One hospital has been hit and is burning with unknown casualties.

Journalist Patrick Lancaster was caught in the shelling.  His video below:

Kramatorsk city center is getting hit by mortars. The explosions started at 2225 local time. I am here with Christian B. Malaparte and 10 other people, In the basement of the Kramatorsk hotel in the center. It seems like the mortars hit within 50-200 meters of the hotel. I am not sure but the hotel may have been hit. So far there has been two waves of motars with a break in between I am not sure how long each wave lasted, it felt like an eternity. After the first wave we thought it was over and we went out to try to document what we can. We got out side and down the block a bit and then hell broke loose motors where whistling over heads, explosions, shrapnel flying about and large chunks of metal hitting the ground all around us as we ran back to the hotel basement.

Scratch that the third wave just happened it was shorter then the rest only around 5 explosions very close. so that makes somewhere between 35-45 Explosions around us. It is a shame that many innocent civilians just lost there lives I wont be sleeping tonight so first light headed out to check the damage and to the morgue. Hopefully the mortars are done for the night.

In Slavyansk, Ukrainian government forces have shelled a church in the city where an estimated 1,000 people were located or nearby. The shelling lasted for 30 minutes with no casualties reported. Ukrainian forces also shelled the small district of Artyom and the city’s central marketplace, where several people died.

“The shelling began on Sunday morning at 6 am GMT during a liturgy. People were praying, when Ukrainian forces produced a first volley from Karachun hill. One woman was nearly beheaded by an explosion. We’ve buried her,” archpriest Nikolay Fomenko said.

Ukrainian government forces have launched an attack on the Cathedral church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Slovyansk, according to the local diocese.

“There were several more volleys and one of the shells hit the Palyanitsa bread kiosk located a few meters from the church, tearing it apart and burning whatever was left. Having heard the first volley, the saleswoman ran out – and that saved her life,” said Archpriest Nikolay Fomenko, added.

“After the shooting began, everyone rushed into the church, people were praying on their knees. The wave of explosion hit the dome and smashed several stained-glass windows, prompting the people to pray even more. The volleys lasted for about half an hour,” the priest said.

Speaking about the attacks on the Artyom micro-district and the central market, he said, that “civilians were killed in the Artyom area, two have already been buried today, Father Tikhon read a service for them. Our morgue is not working as there is no light in the city, so people have to bury their relatives in this warm weather straight away. One woman who was buried had her head nearly ripped off.”

The brutal military campaign has all but assured that Ukraine will never be able to function as one unified territory again.

References:

http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.in/2014/07/ceasefire-over-short-sitrep-from-juan.html

http://wakeupfromyourslumber.com/news/ukrainian-forces-shell-slavyansk-church-during-sunday-service