Donetsk filtering station shelled over 200 times since beginning of 2017 – OSCE SMM

17:30, 14.04.2017 1 min read

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has said the Donetsk Filtering Station has been shelled over 200 times since the beginning of 2017.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Kyiv, OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said the SMM has attracted significant resources trying to protect the Donetsk Filtering Station in Yasynuvata. The station, as well as the nearby power lines, which provide drinking water and electricity, have been shelled than 200 times since the beginning of the year and in eight cases this led to breakdown of power lines and blackouts for a total of 38 days, Hug said.

According to him, direct hits of projectiles at the filtering station can lead to an ecological disaster, if a projectile hits for instance the chlorine tank at the filtering station.

Hug added that the observers are trying to obtain security guarantees from both sides so that the repair crews should be able to function normally and repair the damage.