ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN UKRAINE’S GORLOVKA DAMAGED IN SHELLINGS

TASS– July 2016

The Church of Holy Theotokos of Iveron under construction has come under shellings in Gorlovka, the Russian Orthodox Church said on Tuesday.

“Three shells were fired at the territory of the Church of Holy Theotokos of Iveron located in the center of the Nikotovka residential area that came under shellings. One of the shells fell near the central entrance to the church the construction of which has almost been completed. The facade of the church was damaged, 12 windows of the church were destroyed by two other shells. Tile that lay on the ground was also damaged, it was planned to be used for covering the roof. Another shell exploded behind the church,” the Russian Orthodox Church said adding that the shelling took place in the small hours of July 10.

The Church of Holy Theotokos of Iveron in Gorlovka was shelled by Ukrainian forces six times since the start of military actions in Donbass.

Ceasefire is envisaged by the Minsk accords signed on 12 February 2015, after negotiations in the so-called “Normandy format” in the Belarusian capital Minsk, bringing together Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko. The package of measures also envisages weaponry withdrawal, prisoner exchange, local election in Donbass, constitutional reform in Ukraine and establishing working sub-groups on security, political, economy and humanitarian components of the Minsk accords.