A new Russian strike on a building in Sloviansk, eastern Ukraine, killed at least eight people on Friday, the day President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Friday making it easier to mobilize young Russians into the army.
A two-year-old child, who had been pulled out alive from the rubble of this civilian building, died shortly after in the ambulance, said Daria Zarivna, adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Sloviansk is in a part of the Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk region, 45 kilometers northwest of Bakhmout, near Russian-controlled territory.
According to kyiv, it was targeted by seven missiles, which damaged five buildings, five houses, a school and an administrative building.
President Zelensky accused Russia of “brutally bombing” residential buildings and “killing people in broad daylight”.
In a statement, the Donetsk regional prosecutor’s office said a preliminary investigation had been opened in criminal proceedings for violation of the laws and customs of war.
“According to preliminary information, the occupiers used an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system against the civilian population,” the text adds.
AFP reporters saw rescue workers searching for survivors on the top floor of a Soviet-era residential building and black smoke billowing from burning houses across the street.
“I live across the street and was sleeping when I heard this huge explosion. I ran out of my apartment,” Larisa, a 59-year-old resident, told AFP.
She said the impact of the shelling shattered her windows and sent shards of glass throughout the house.
On the same day, in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a new law facilitating the mobilization of young Russians into the army.
According to this text, a reservist can now be mobilized electronically, via a Russian public service portal, or if the order is given to a third party, the Russian agencies said.
Until then, invitations had to be delivered by hand.
President Putin decreed a mobilization of 300,000 reservists in September 2022, the implementation of which has often been chaotic.
If the Kremlin denies wanting to launch a second wave of mobilization, many are those in Russia who are worried about it, while the Ukrainian army is preparing a counter-offensive.
The police have the right to hunt down defaulters, who incur prison sentences. The tax service, universities and other public bodies will have to provide the personal information of those mobilized.
Refusal to report to the enrollment office will thus deprive Russians of the possibility of working as an entrepreneur or self-employed person, of receiving loans or of disposing of their accommodation and their car.
These measures also concern Russians who have fled their country and work remotely.
The previous mobilization of September 2022 had in any case caused the flight of tens of thousands of Russians abroad.
The shelling of this civilian building in Sloviansk comes as Moscow said it is increasing pressure to seize other areas of the ravaged city of Bakhmout, further south.
The Russian military said Wagner Group mercenaries are advancing towards the western districts of the city, supported by airborne troops from Moscow.
“Wagner’s assault units are carrying out high-intensity combat operations to conquer the western districts of the city,” the Russian military said in a statement.
Russian paratroopers “provide support to the assault units and prevent the enemy from delivering ammunition to the city and bringing reserves there”.
On Thursday, Moscow claimed to have cut off Ukrainian forces in Bakhmout.
kyiv denied this, saying it had access to its troops and was able to supply them.
Ukraine promised to continue to defend Bakhmout. But on the ground, Ukrainian sources near the city admitted to AFP that Kiev forces were in a “difficult” position.
“I know that many of our soldiers are missing, positions have been lost and it has been impossible to evacuate or withdraw troops,” an army source said.
He assured that Ukraine continued to “bring in reinforcements” to Bakhmout.
14/04/2023 23:57:22 – Sloviansk (Ukraine) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP