Chernihiv breadline massacre

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Chernihiv breadline massacre
Part of the Siege of Chernihiv
LocationChernihiv, Ukraine
Date16 March 2022
Around 10:00 (UTC+3)
TargetCivilians in Chernihiv
Deaths14[1]
Perpetrators Russia

On 16 March 2022, according to the United States Embassy in Kyiv, a Russian attack killed at least ten civilians in Chernihiv, Ukraine, who were waiting in a line for bread.[2][3] It was later reported that the death toll had risen to 13 people[4][5] and later again to 14 people.[1]

Background[edit]

The Ukrainian city of Chernihiv has seen attacks by Russian forces since 24 February 2022, the day in which the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine started.[6] The battles on Chernihiv have caused heavy civilian losses. On 3 March, the city suffered a bombing that ended in the death of 47 people.[7] Chernihiv was the city where the first Russian general died during the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Such person was major general Andrey Sukhovetsky, then deputy commander of the 41st Combined Arms Army, who died the day after the bombing on civilians.[8] Since 10 March, the city is under a siege.[9]

As fighting continued, more civilians died in Chernihiv. On 16 March, the Governor of Chernihiv Oblast Vyacheslav Chaus [ru; uk] reported that the Russian attacks on Chernihiv on that day alone had killed a total of 53 people.[10]

Attack[edit]

The event was reported Chaus as well as the United States Embassy in Kyiv. On Ukrainian television, Chaus said the attack, which he described as a bombing, was "not the first such incoming shell, nor is it the first shelling of civilians by the enemy".[11] While Chaus said the attack was an airstrike, the US Embassy said the people had been "shot and killed".[12][3] Initially, it was reported that 10 people died on the incident.[11][3][12] However, the death toll later rose to 13 people[5] and later again to 14 people as reported by Ukrinform.[1] The incident happened at around 10:00 UTC+3. Victims of the incident were killed following a blast shot from heavy artillery.[13] These civilians were unarmed and some of them survived the shelling; they were taken to medical facilities by Chernihiv police.[14]

A 67-year-old United States (US) citizen from Minnesota was killed in the attack.[15] The man's family said on social media that he and nine others had been "gunned down by Russian military snipers" before his "body was found in the street by the local police".[16] Chernihiv Patrol Police and the US State Department confirmed the death of a US citizen.[17] This person was James Whitney Hill and he was married to Iryna, a Ukrainian citizen, for whom he refused to leave Ukraine despite calls from the United States to its citizens to do so when the war started. Hill was an English-language teacher in Chernihiv and was known on social media as "Jimmy Hill"[18]

Reactions[edit]

Around four hours after the incident, the Chernihiv Regional Prosecutor's Office filed a legal case regarding the attack. The Chernihiv Oblast branch of the Security Service of Ukraine also started an investigation.[13]

Russian major general Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Defense, said that "video footage of civilians who died in Chernihiv, who were allegedly shot by Russian servicemen, was distributed on all propaganda resources of the Kyiv regime. It was indicated that all the dead allegedly stood in line for bread. I would like to emphasize that there were no Russian servicemen in Chernihiv".[11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Ворог накрив артилерією Чернігів, серед загиблих - американець" (in Ukrainian). Ukrinform. 17 March 2022.
  2. ^ "У Чернігові російські війська обстріляли людей, які стояли в черзі за хлібом: як мінімум 10 загиблих". Suspilne (in Ukrainian). March 16, 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "10 people killed waiting in bread line in Ukraine; US embassy demands accountability". The Times of Israel. March 16, 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Russia-Ukraine war: Mariupol theatre sheltering 'hundreds' bombed". Al Jazeera. 16 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b Hughes, Chris; Williams, Kieren; Thrower, Antony (16 March 2022). "13 innocent civilians massacred by Russians as they queue for bread in besieged city". Daily Mirror.
  6. ^ "ЗСУ "підсмажили" техніку окупантів під Черніговом" [The Armed Forces of Ukraine "roasted" the equipment of the occupiers near Chernihiv]. Gazeta.ua (in Ukrainian). Hazeta po-ukrayinsʹky (Newspaper in Ukrainian). 25 February 2022. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 25 February 2022. У полон Збройних сил України здалися гвардії капітан Міхоєв і єфрейтор Касаткін. [Captain Mikhoyev and Corporal Kasatkin surrendered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.]
  7. ^ "Death toll from Russian air strikes on Chernihiv city rises to 47, local authorities say". Reuters. March 4, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  8. ^ "First Russian general killed Ukraine war, dies in Chernihiv region". Business Standard. 4 March 2022.
  9. ^ Kaufman, Ellie (10 March 2022). "Russian forces have moved about 3 miles closer to Kyiv and Chernihiv is now "isolated," US defense official says". CNN. Archived from the original on 14 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  10. ^ Darrah, Nicole (17 March 2022). "U.S. citizen killed in Ukraine, State Department confirms". Yahoo! News.
  11. ^ a b c Lister, Tim; Ochman, Oleksandra; Mezzofiore, Gianluca (March 16, 2022). "People in line for bread in Ukrainian city of Chernihiv killed by Russian shelling, regional official says". CNN. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  12. ^ a b Reals, Tucker (March 16, 2022). "U.S. embassy says Russian troops "shot and killed 10 people standing in line for bread" in northeast Ukraine". CBS News. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  13. ^ a b "У Чернігові російські війська обстріляли людей, які стояли в черзі за хлібом: як мінімум 10 загиблих" (in Ukrainian). Suspilne. 16 March 2022.
  14. ^ Romanenko, Valentina (17 March 2022). "Нові обстріли Чернігова: є жертви і поранені, серед загиблих - громадянин США". Ukrayinska Pravda (in Ukrainian).
  15. ^ Singh, Kanishka; Lewis, Simon (March 17, 2022). "U.S. citizen killed in Ukraine while waiting in bread line, family says". Reuters. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  16. ^ Mayer, Emma (March 17, 2022). "Jimmy Hill, American Killed in Ukraine, 'Gunned Down' in Bread Line: Family". Newsweek. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  17. ^ "American among civilians killed in Russian attack in Ukraine". Associated Press. March 17, 2022. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  18. ^ Shovkun, Lesya (17 March 2022). "У Чернігові в черзі по хліб загинув американець Джиммі Хілл, який залишився в місті з хворою дружиною". Novynarnia (in Ukrainian).
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