What happened in Elenovka: versions

What happened in Elenovka: versions

At about 3 a.m. on April 27 in the occupied settlement of Elenovka (Donetsk region), there was a tragedy, the deaths of several civilians. At the moment, it is impossible to say what caused the death of people who have remained in their cars for the night at a checkpoint controlled by the militants. The victims were 5 people among which there was a pregnant woman. Initially, it was aware of 4 deads but one died in hospital. At least 10 people sought help from physicians.  All hospitalized are occupied Donetsk hospitals. 

Eyewitnesses report in social networks that it was a shelling.


 
Alyona Leshova: In my opinion, people have nothing to do at DPR checkpoints at night. There are enormous queues every time. If they decided to use this permit system, as they do in Ukraine, then they need more computers. It’s just bullshit what they do there.

Serhiy Fusar:
What computers are you talking about? Everythnig is done to squeeze money out of people, now you will be more cooperative in terms of paying bribes.

Valeriya Malyovannaya:
Who needs problems of ordinary people? They say, they “protect” us.

Helena Khan:
Alyona, maybe, it’s time to stop the war?

Serhiy Fusar:
Helena, why? People make money on it (huge money).

Helena Khan:
Serhiy, I want to LIVE!!!

Serhiy Fusar:
Yes, we have only one life and we want to live it now, not later.


In addition, in social media users have long been outraged the pass entry system in the checkpoint of "DPR" militants. In particular, witnesses report that the overnight stop at the checkpoint in Elenovka is a usual thing because of sluggishness of the militants who imagine theirselves as customs officials.


Ivan Harmash: I was standing all the day at Olenivka yesterday, I was #64 on the list..... the fist 30 cars got under the shelling. Some people were killed, some were wounded!!! Rest in peace!!! Olenivka is closed in the direction of Mariupol!!!


Iryna Vasylyanska: Iryna, I often cross the checkpoint. I have never heard humiliations at Ukrainian checkpoints. But I have heard this nonsense at DPR ones. I have also noticed that all servicemen at Ukrainian checkpoints look smart, but at DPR ones it’s amazing: they have either been drinking heavily the night before or are high on drugs. They look as if they had a hangover. And if you have no place to go, then stay at home and don’t speculate about suspending work of checkpoints.

 
"DPR" grouping also reports that the checkpoint was targetedly shot by 120 mm mortars. In the comments to separatist TV channels locals say that they had heard "arrivals" of mortar bombs at night. At the same time, they did not confirm that houses were damaged as separatist sites have reported.

In turn, the first deputy head of Kramatorsk Border Detachment, Chief of Staff Colonel Anatoly Kotsyurba said citing eyewitness evidences that the vehicles had not been fired and exploded. At the headquarters of ATO they argued that their positions near Yelenovka were actually fired but the Ukrainian military have not applied retaliatory fire towards Yelenovka. Border guards also did not open fire.

"Now the version is considered that the militants could fire themselves using some armaments from which civilians have suffered or a bomb laid in advance was activated," - said Anton Myronovych, the speaker of the ATO headquarters press-center.

The version that the cars could be blown up is also discussed by bloggers in social networks. For example, the coordinator of the project "Stop terror" Semen Kabakaev admits that TNT blocks for remote detonation had been dug in the ground. 

"It is very hard to believe looking at the photos that the fence in the first photo and (please note) the wall of the house on the second photo would be left without damage after shelling by 120 mm mortar. Most likely, they were buried at a shallow depth in the land TNT blocks which were remotely blown. The car in which people spent the night have been destroyed by alleged explosion of 120 mm mortar projectile. Looking even briefly on the photo it is clear that the car was undermined by an explosive device of not very high power that was laid under the car because it is upside down on the roof "- a volunteer wrote on his page in Facebook.



The accident site was already visited by the observers of the OSCE monitoring mission. They pledged to give their statement tomorrow, 28 April. So far, they only said that observers examined "8-9 funnels". But the head of "DPR" militants Alexander Zakharchenko have arrived on the place of tragedy earlier than observers. In front of reporters he boiled over of work of OSCE mission which is "late". Also Zakharchenko had time to promote himself well in front of cameras of separatist and Russian channels: he accused of firing the Banderites from "punitive battalion "Aydar ", promised the locals in Yelenovka to give free cards of mobile operator "Phoenix" and warned Ukrainians to "prepare coffins".

It is worth noting that Zakharchenko recently affords such harsh statements more frequently than before. Not so long ago he threatened the OSCE police mission to shot them if they would appear in Donbas. However, separatist media missed this statement and have not made it public.

Also worth noting is that the accident was accompanied by such events:

At the front:

The OSCE noted that near Yelenovka positions of Ukrainian military moved three kilometers to the post of "DPR" militants.

The representative of the power wing in "DPR" grouping Eduard Basurin has announced possible shellings of a checkpoint in Elenovka allegedly by Ukrainian Armed Forces. He claimed that shellings will be carried out in order the check point should stop working, and this in turn will allow Ukrainian military continue to advance deeper into the contact line.

in the political arena:

US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland stays with a working visit in Ukraine. It has already held several meetings with representatives of the Ukrainian Parliament and Government.

Also worth noting is that this afternoon a meeting of a subgroup on Humanitarian Affairs of the Trilateral contact group was held in Minsk. Exchange of prisoners by the formula "25 50" was scuttled for what sides blame each other.

Now the checkpoint is open, and it works in part. The scene was cordoned off. 

The pass entry operations in the checkpoint "Novotroitskoe" to Mariupol direction are temporarily suspended.

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