Ukrainian forces are destroying foreign ships docked in the port of Mariupol, the People’s Militia of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) said on Tuesday. The nationalist group “Azov” (banned in the Donetsk People’s Republic) might destroy foreign vessels together with their crews in order to blame the Russian coalition, DPR People’s Militia deputy commander Eduard Basurin said on Tuesday.
“The “Azov” command jointly with 83rd Information and Psychological Operations Centre specialists continue to create fake stories to accuse of atrocities servicemen of the Russian Federation and the Donetsk People’s Republic involved in the special military operation. We have learnt about a fire and heavy smoke on the Turkish vessel Azburg flying the flag of Dominica, with a crew of 12 Ukrainians aboard.”
Basurin said that it cannot be ruled out that special Ukrainian units have begun to destroy foreign ships together in order to later present it as a result of Russian artillery strikes.
“I officially state that Russian troops and Donetsk People’s Republic servicemen only deliver pinpoint fire at fire positions of Ukrainian nationalists,” he said.
On top of that, Kiev has ignored six official requests from the DPR militia concerning the evacuation of foreign vessels blocked by nationalists who had mined the port waters before the beginning of the special operation.
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation aimed at demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine. On the same day, DPR and LPR forces began to liberate the occupied areas of Donbass.
The neo-Nazi organization “Azov” is the largest armed formation in Ukraine which controlled Mariupol during the years of occupation. The DPR Supreme Court recognized it as terrorist and banned it in the territory of the Republic. The group is behind numerous strikes, lootings, murders, rapes, robberies, tortures etc.
