Commentary by the Permanent Representative A.Lukashevich on yet another atrocity by the Kiev regime in Lisichansk, Lugansk People's Republic of the Russian Federation, 5 February 2024

On yet another atrocity by the Kiev regime

in Lisichansk, Lugansk People's Republic

of the Russian Federation

On 3 February 2024, the Kiev regime committed another barbaric terrorist act: a bakery was fired at in the city of Lisichansk, Lugansk People's Republic of the Russian Federation. A civilian facility that provided food to residents of nearby houses, according to preliminary investigation data, was attacked using a US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system donated by NATO countries. The “incoming” shelling occurred during the lunch rush hour, thus leading to a large number of casualties among the bakery’s employees and visitors.

According to the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, currently the bodies of 28 killed have been found under the rubble of a completely destroyed building: 18 men, 9 women and one 5-year-old child. One of the killed women was pregnant. What happened was a deliberate terrorist act aimed at mass murder of civilians. The Kiev regime, through its fake “Lisichansk administration,” has already publicly confirmed its involvement in what happened.

Back on 1 August 2022, in an interview with “The Telegraph”, Vadym Skybytskyi, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, admitted that in anticipation of the launch of HIMARS projectiles, Kiev is each time consulting with Washington: That, as he pointed out, “allows the United States to stop any potential attacks if the Americans are not satisfied with the intended target”. Apparently, Kiev’s overseas handlers are satisfied with yet another killing of Russian civilians.

On the day of the shelling, 3 February 2024, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Malta Ian Borg was completing his visit to Kiev and the Kiev region, where he met with V. Zelensky and other representatives of the leadership of the Kiev regime. It is outrageous that the Maltese minister not only deliberately ignored all the victims of crimes committed by Ukrainian nationalist formations against the civilian population of Russian regions, but also expressed full support for the Kiev clique.

Up to now, neither OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ian Borg nor OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid have reacted in any way to what happened, as well as to many other January crimes by the Kiev regime, revealing their complete indifference to the fate of Russian citizens suffering from shelling by the Ukrainian armed formations. The OSCE executive structures also remain silent.

The shelling of the bakery, which had no military significance and was aimed solely at intimidating the civilian population, is another evidence that, in its agony, the Kiev regime will not hesitate committing brutal atrocities. Expressing solidarity with it and supporting it means becoming an accomplice to his terrible crimes.

There should be no place for bias or incompetence in the OSCE. Millions of citizens of the OSCE participating states expect a sober, objective and balanced perception of reality from the leadership of this Organization. It is necessary to condemn without further delay the obvious crime of V. Zelensky’s forces and take all measures to bring to justice those responsible so that this does not happen again.

Together with the Lugansk people, we mourn the victims of the shelling of Lisichansk, which brought grief and irreparable losses to many Russian families. The Russian Federation will do its utmost to severely punish the perpetrators on the basis of the principles of justice and legality.