Cynical assault tactics: Russians use civilians as “human shields” in Pokrovsk

The Russian command ordered the military to use civilians as “human shields” during the assault on Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.

This was reported by the SBU and the regional prosecutor’s office .

“On November 10, 2025, representatives of the army of the aggressor state once again cynically violated the norms of international humanitarian law,” the message states.

As the investigation found out, the commander of one of the Russian army units, using radio communication, ordered the soldiers who entered the city to take cover among the civilian population.

It was previously established that this was the 1st Motorized Rifle Battalion of the 506th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Russian Armed Forces, which attacked the southeastern outskirts of Pokrovsk.

During the battle in a residential area of the city, Russian attack aircraft captured three people. Among them were a local man, a woman, and a 13-year-old child.

The occupiers forced civilians to walk ahead so that they could take cover in the event of fire contact.

Investigative actions are currently underway to identify all those involved. Under the procedural guidance of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, a pre-trial investigation into the commission of a war crime has been launched.

We will remind you that some time ago, in the temporarily occupied part of the Kharkiv region, a Russian soldier shot three civilians in the entrance of a residential building.

Earlier, the Russians killed several civilians near the Pokrovska railway station , after which the Defense Forces discovered and destroyed militants hiding in the city.

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