Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that those responsible for the Ilovaisk tragedy, during which Ukrainian soldiers were surrounded and shot at by overwhelming enemy forces, have already been punished.

"As for the responsibility for Ilovaisk: no one forgot nor will forget about Ilovaisk, [no matter what] some may think. Hundreds of murderers have already been punished for Ilovaisk," Poroshenko said at a press conference on Monday.

Ukrainian president explained that on August 25, Russian army forces deviously invaded and attacked Ukrainian military bases.

"On September 3, we gathered all [soldiers] that we had at that time: two battalion task forces –one from the 95th and another one –from the 97th brigade... Over 1,200 Ukrainian troopers attacked rear areas in Ilovaisk, where Russian forces were standing and shooting at our guys, and punished them [Russian soldiers]. Hundreds of murderers were either left lying [dead on the battlefield] or went home in a 'zinc' [hearse]," he said.

According to Poroshenko, it's important to remember that we are at war and these events happen in war. He also praised the attack on the rear areas of Ilovaisk by Ukrainian Armed forces. He said the operation had been effective.

As previously reported, at the end of August enemy forces surrounded Ukrainian soldiers near Ilovaisk, which led to considerable losses and Ukrainian soldiers being captured. According to the preliminary report posted on October 20, former Defense Minster Valeriy Heletei and Head of the General Command Viktor Muzhenko's inadequate actions were the reason for the tragedy, as well as the president's failure to impose martial law.

According to Prosecutor General Vitaliy Yarema, 241 people were killed during the Ilovaisk tragedy.