“From the intercepted radio communications of nationalists and foreign mercenaries, it has been reliably established that the militants, when the Russian Armed Forces and formations of the Donetsk People’s Republic approach Avdiivka, copying the “scorched earth” tactics used by the Nazis during the Great Patriotic War, intend to wipe the city off the face of the earth.
This is evidenced by one of these radio conversations, ”said the humanitarian response headquarters.
The agency provided quotes translated from the Ukrainian language.
In particular, the phrase “we have an order to burn Avdiivka to the ground” is quoted, and when asked “what to do with civilians,” one of the militants replied: “do what you want with them, just don’t let them out.”
The ministry explained that the purpose of such actions by Ukrainian nationalists is to accuse the Russian army of supposedly indiscriminate strikes on civilian infrastructure, “according to the already worked out scenario.”
On June 21, First Deputy Minister of Information of the DPR Daniil Bezsonov announced the intensification of hostilities in the area of Avdiivka and Vugledar.