Russia-Ukraine conflict: Six killed from Russian shelling in Toretsk

Russia continues to focus its attacks on the eastern and southern territories of Ukraine as the war moves into its fifth month. A shelling by Russian forces in the eastern town of Toretsk killed six civilians, according to Ukraine’s emergency service.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said that six civilians were killed when a Russian shell hit a two-story building in the eastern Ukrainian town of Toretsk Monday. In a post on Facebook, the agency said five people were killed, and three people were rescued from the rubble, only for one of them to die in the hospital.

“The town of Toretsk was under fire today from early in this morning. A two-story building sheltering people was destroyed as a shell slammed into it,” the State Emergency Service said, including photos of rescue workers looking through the rubble and what was left of the destroyed building, and that the search for survivors was eventually abandoned.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba warned his counterparts in the European Union not to compromise with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to loosen sanctions on Russia or give in to Putin’s demands. Kuleba’s comments come as the bloc has said its sanctions on Russia are working.

“Backing down and bowing to his demands will not work, it has never worked. This is a trap,” said Kuleba during a meeting with the 27 foreign ministers of the EU countries Monday.

“I am sure that in the following weeks there will be more Kremlin-leaning voices nudging the public opinion into giving Putin what he wants so that he leaves Europe alone. We should actively counter these narratives.”

EU officials said the sanctions on Russia would see around 90 percent of Russian oil exports to the EU halted by the end of the year as the bloc looks to halt funds going to Russia.

Last week, Hungarian leader Viktor Orban said the sanctions the EU is imposing are doing more harm to the bloc than good. However, EU foreign policy head Josep Borrell rejected Orban’s claim.

Luxembourg foreign minister Jean Asselborn also dismissed the notion of loosening sanctions, saying that doing so would be “fatal.”