Ukraine's Army Hiding Rows of Tanks Among Civilian Buildings in Artemovsk, UK TV Report Says

Russia has repeatedly pointed to ample evidence suggesting that Ukraine has been using civilians as human shields across the country throughout the ongoing conflict, holding innocent people hostage, as Kiev's armed forces deploy heavy equipment in residential areas.

Footage of military equipment hiding among residential buildings in the city of Artemovsk, located in the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), has been shown by a British TV correspondent.

"Lines of Soviet-era tanks and armoured vehicles are concealed amongst the buildings," Sky News TV channel correspondent Alex Rossi said during a report from Artemovsk.

“Inside the city, we saw Ukrainian forces laying traps and bringing in reinforcements,” he added.

Twitter screenshot.

© Photo : Twitter

The journalist noted that the city (which was renamed Bakhmut by Ukraine's post-coup government in 2016) is deserted, most of the residential buildings are damaged.

"People have left the city. It's very scary just being here. The fighting is very, very close," he said.

Ukrainian servicemen stand at the sign reading Artemovsk, Tuesday, March 3, 2015.

© AP Photo / Evgeniy Maloletka

Artemovsk, located north of Donetsk in the Kiev-controlled part of the Donetsk People’s Republic, has become a meat grinder for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which are sustaining heavy losses there. Often called the key to Donetsk, the city is important for both sides of the Ukraine conflict.

The city is an important transport hub for supplying Ukrainian troops stationed in Donbass. On January 13, Russia's Ministry of Defense announced the complete liberation of the town of Soledar, saying the capture of the strategic settlement will make it possible to cut off supply routes used by Ukrainian forces in nearby Artemovsk.

'Putting Civilians at Risk'

The human rights organization Amnesty International released a report last August alleging that Ukrainian forces were violating military law by placing weapons in schools and hospitals in cities. It added that human rights groups reported cases when Ukrainian troops launched strikes from residential areas and deployed weapons at civil infrastructure facilities in 19 Ukrainian settlements, including in Donbass, the Kharkov and Nikolayev regions.

"We have documented a pattern of Ukrainian forces putting civilians at risk and violating the laws of war when they operate in populated areas," said Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s Secretary General.

"In the cases it documented, Amnesty is not aware that the Ukrainian military asked or assisted civilians to evacuate nearby buildings - a failure to take feasible precautions to protect civilians," Amnesty International said.

The Russian military has repeatedly stated that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are deploying heavy equipment and equipping combat positions in residential areas in total disregard for the plight of civilians.