Russian forces are using civilians in the occupied areas near Toretsk and Chasiv Yar to transport the bodies of their fallen soldiers.
Dmytro Zaporozets, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Joint Forces Operation 'Luhansk', reported this during a TV broadcast.
“We see civilians in shelter locations, and they periodically leave the shelters to carry out daily activities. We have seen people transporting water, collecting firewood during the winter to heat their shelters. There have been cases where the enemy used these civilians to transport the bodies of dead Russian soldiers. For instance, a woman and a man were seen transporting the bodies of dead Russian soldiers on a cart,” Dmytro Zaporozets said.
He noted that Ukrainian forces, as much as possible, are assisting the remaining civilians in the conflict zone, but did not give an exact number of them.
According to local military administrations, there are currently 171 residents in Chasiv Yar and 48 in Toretsk.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Defense Forces in Toretsk are engaged in street battles and successfully repelling Russian assaults from positions at local mines.
“We are able to establish a strong defense at the southern and northern parts of the city’s mines. There are appropriate shelters, and we can target the enemy on the approaches to these mines. This is where the Russians want to gain control. However, the main number of attacks in Toretsk is happening in the central part of the city, from where the enemy is already trying to pressure our positions to the north and south, particularly on the Toretsk and Central mines,” said the spokesperson for the Khortytsia Defense Forces.
