A woman dies in a shooting by Russian forces against policemen who were evacuating civilians in Bakhmut (Ukraine)

May 6. (EUROPE PRESS) –

A Ukrainian woman has died this Friday in a shooting carried out by the Russian military against Ukrainian policemen who were evacuating a group of civilians in Bakhmut, in the Donetsk region.

The law enforcement officers received information that a group of 20 people were hiding in a building very close to the front line, for which reason sufficient resources and force were going to be needed for the evacuation, as reported by the National Police of the Donetsk region in a statement.

For this, the rescue operation was joined by the leadership of the Police, the State Emergency Service, the Regional Military Administration and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Evacuation teams were formed, which included police officers from the “Ángel Blanco” unit, paramedics, and special forces, who provided cover and the escort was in charge of the police patrol.

“The road is extremely dangerous (…) That is why they chose the night to evacuate people with the least risk and worked on the route together with the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” explained the head of the regional police, Ruslan Osypenko, who supervised the work of the police at the scene.

The military picked up the citizens in special vehicles and handed them over to the Police at the specified place. People were evacuated from the battle line in separate groups and only five people who were in the shelter at the time were able to be removed, the whereabouts of the rest are unknown.

“On the way, the enemy opened fire, killing an old woman in front of her son, the only victim, since the rest could be moved satisfactorily,” according to the statement.

“Four men who lived in this shelter for at least a month were taken to a safe place. Their families were evacuated earlier. Almost everyone’s house was destroyed. People ate from the supplies and lost weight. Currently, the military administration provides all the necessary assistance. As for the deceased woman, a place will be determined where her son can bury her,” Osypenko said.