Ukrainian Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky, along with a group of
lawmakers and 25 foreign journalists, were shot in the Donbass.
This was stated by his adviser. The incident allegedly occurred near the
village of Novoluganskoe in the Donetsk region on Saturday.
"Minister of the Interior Denis Monastyrsky, a group of lawmakers and 25
foreign journalists have just been shot at," the minister's adviser, Anton
Gerashchenko, wrote on Facebook.
"Miraculously, no one was hurt," Gerashchenko said as quoted by Russia
Today, Sunday (20/2/2022). He added that reporters from CNN, Fox News,
Washington Post, New York Times, and Voice of America had the opportunity to
see for themselves "who is really preparing an attack on a peaceful
Ukraine."
Ukraine has accused Russia of trying to create a pretext for an invasion.
Moscow vehemently denies the accusations.
On Friday, the breakaway Donetsk and Lugansk regions announced an urgent
evacuation of civilians to Russia, citing fears of a "breakthrough" threat
by Ukrainian forces, which Kiev also denies.
The leaders of two separatist republics in eastern Ukraine ordered the women
and children to flee and head for Russia as soon as possible.
Their impoverished territory and rebel-held industry in Ukraine have been at
the center of weeks of tension between Russia and the West.
Conflict monitors have warned of a sharp escalation in ceasefire violations
in fighting between the Ukrainian army and the separatists.
