Russia has accused Ukraine of launching a deadly attack on a bakery and restaurant in Lysychansk, a city in the Russian-controlled eastern Ukraine. According to Russian officials, at least 28 people, including nine women and a child, were killed in the strike, which occurred on Saturday. The Russian-backed authorities claim that Ukraine used Western-supplied rockets, specifically the U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), in the attack. The head of the Luhansk region, Leonid Pasechnik, maintained that the bakery was crowded with civilians at the time.
Emergency workers tirelessly searched through the night for survivors among the ruins of the shattered Adriatic Restaurant on Moskovska Street, where the bakery was reportedly located. The Russian emergency ministry reported that 10 people were rescued from the rubble alive. Unfortunately, four others were in an “extremely grave condition” and remained trapped beneath the debris. The ministry continued their search for additional survivors. As of now, Ukraine has not issued any statement regarding the alleged attack.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began in February 2022 when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of eastern Ukraine. This decision triggered the largest land war in Europe since World War Two. Russian forces quickly gained control over substantial parts of eastern Ukraine, currently accounting for approximately 18% of Ukraine’s territory. Russia considers this land to be part of its own. However, Ukraine and the West completely reject the annexation and refuse to recognize it as legitimate.
In response to the incident, Russia’s foreign ministry strongly condemned the Ukrainian attack and criticized the Western countries providing financial support to Kyiv. Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that the West should reflect on how their financial aid is being used to kill innocent civilians. She also claimed that preliminary data suggests Western weapons were used in the strike, calling on European citizens to consider the consequences of their taxes.
To verify the location of the incident, Reuters evaluated the design, color, and a sign visible in the wreckage of the building, comparing it with file imagery of the area. The news agency was able to confirm that the video shared by the Russian emergencies ministry originated from a location that matches the Adriatic Restaurant on Moskovska Street, Lysychansk, as identified on Google Maps. However, Reuters could not independently verify the date of the footage or any other details of the incident, as the area came under Russian control in July 2022 after several months of intense fighting.
Following Ukraine’s successful recapture of a portion of the territory formerly controlled by Russian forces in 2022, its counter-offensive in 2023 failed to make significant progress against fortified Russian lines. Currently, there is a debate among Ukraine’s Western supporters regarding the most effective approach to continue the fight against Russia. Over the past month, Russian forces have seized an additional 56 square miles (140 square kilometers) of Ukrainian territory, according to the Belfer Center at Harvard’s Kennedy School. The situation remains tense and unresolved, with no clear resolution in sight.
Russia’s allegations of Ukraine striking a bakery and restaurant in Lysychansk have sparked controversy and raised concerns about the ongoing conflict between the two countries. The international community must carefully assess the situation and strive to find a peaceful resolution to this devastating conflict that has claimed numerous lives and left many people displaced.
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