Georgia’s Foreign Minister saddened by tragedy in Ukraine

Georgia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs has expressed her condolences to  Ukrainian Ambassador in Georgia Vasyl Tsybenko after a tragedy near the city of Volnovakha, Ukraine, which claimed the lives of 12 people and wounded more than a dozen others.

Foreign Minister Tamar Beruchashvili visited the Ukrainian Embassy in Georgia and left a note in the book of condolences.

I am sending condolences to the Ukrainian government and people due to the tragedy that happened in Donetsk. This tragedy once again demonstrates the importance to fulfill ceasefire agreements. The problem-solving point of Ukrainian crisis is territorial integrity of the country within its internationally recognised borders," Beruchashvili said.

Meanwhile, Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili also sent his condolences to his Ukrainian colleague Peter Poroshenko, yesterday while he visited the Ukrainian Embassy in Georgia.

On January 13, a shell hit a bus full of civilians at a government checkpoint about 35km south-west of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk in Ukraine. The accident let to the death of 12 and wounded a further 18 people.

Donetsk regional officials blamed pro-Russian rebels but a report stated rebel leaders had denied involvement.

Vyacheslav Abroskin, head of the Donetsk regional interior ministry, said it appeared the target had been a roadblock set up close to the nearby town of Volnovakha but the attack had gone wrong.