Volnovakha bus attack

"Volnovakha checkpoint attack" redirects here. For the 2014 incident, see War in Donbas (2014–2022) § May 2014: post-referendum fighting.

Volnovakha bus attack
Part of the War in Donbas
Location of Donetsk Oblast in Ukraine
Buhas checkpoint is located in Donetsk Oblast
Buhas checkpoint
Buhas checkpoint
Buhas checkpoint (Donetsk Oblast)
LocationDonetsk–Mariupol road ( H 20) at Buhas, near Volnovakha
Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine[1]
Coordinates47°36′45.4″N 37°31′45.5″E / 47.612611°N 37.529306°E / 47.612611; 37.529306
Date13 January 2015
c. 14:30 EET (UTC+2)
TargetBuhas checkpoint
Attack type
Rocket strike
WeaponsMRL BM-21 Grad
Deaths12[2]
Injured18[2]
PerpetratorsDonetsk People's Republic (per Ukraine)
Ukrainian Armed Forces (per Russia)
Motiveattack on fortified facilities

The Volnovakha bus attack was an attack on a highway checkpoint near the village of Buhas outside of the Volnovakha municipality in the Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on 13 January 2015. It resulted in the deaths of 12 passengers of an intercity bus and injuries to 18 others in the area. The attack was the largest single loss of life since the signing of the Minsk Protocol in September 2014, which attempted to halt the War in Donbas. The incident has been labeled an "act of terror" by both the Ukrainian authorities[3] as well as the rebels.[4]

Initially, separatists took responsibility for this incident, which they thought was a successful destruction of the Ukrainian roadblock. After the information about civilian bus hit the news, they denied having "even technical possibilities" to shell that area.[5] OSCE Special Monitoring Mission inspecting the place of incident assessed from its study of five craters that they were caused by "rockets fired from a north-north-eastern direction".[6] HRW investigation has concluded that "The attacked checkpoint is the northern-most government checkpoint before the front line with rebel forces. The tube-like shape of the craters clearly indicated that the rockets had come from the northeast."[7]

The checkpoint named "Buhas" is located on the H20 highway at the intersection with another road accessing the city of Volnovakha. Beside Buhas and Volnovakha, there also is a village of Blyzhnie.

  1. ^ "Ten killed, 13 injured after shell hits bus at roadblock near Volnovakha – regional administration". Interfax-Ukraine. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  2. ^ a b Список погибших и раненых, пострадавших в результате террористического акта на пункте пропуска под г.Волновахой [List of dead and wounded victims as a result of the terrorist attack on the checkpoint in Volnovakha] (Press release) (in Russian). Interior Ministry of Ukraine in Donetsk Region. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  3. ^ Прокуратура расследует обстрел автобуса под Волновахой по статье "теракт" [The Office of Public Prosecutor is investigating the Volnovakha bus attack as an "act of terror"] (in Russian). Unian. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  4. ^ "В ДНР возбудили уголовное дело по факту обстрела автобуса под Волновахой" [Criminal investigation opened in the Donetsk Region into the attack on the bus in Volnovakha] (in Russian). Interfax. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Did Separatists Boast of Attack on Checkpoint That Killed 10 Civilians Before Trying To Blame Ukraine?". The Interpreter Magazine. 13 January 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2015.
  6. ^ "Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received as of 18:00 (Kyiv time)". OSCE. 17 January 2015. Archived from the original on 18 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  7. ^ "Ukraine: Rising Civilian Death Toll | Human Rights Watch". 3 February 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2023.