Ukraine conflict has left 2,000 dead in 2 years: UN

The two years of separatist conflict in Ukraine have resulted in the death of more than 2,000 people, said the United Nations in a report on Thursday.

Approximately 90 per cent of the deaths were caused by indiscriminate bombings of civilians, added the report, in which the UN denounced the impunity that has prevailed since the conflict began in April 2014, Efe news reported.

"None of the armed groups or the government of Ukraine have taken responsibility for any civilian deaths caused by the conduct of hostilities," it says, detailing that many of the deaths could be considered war crimes or crimes against humanity.

The majority of deaths attributed to executions while in custody took place between 2014 and early 2015, but continued until this year.

The report condemned the "unbridled rule of the gun" that resulted in the killing of civilians who were perceived to be disobeying armed soldiers.

The report was released by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine and insisted that the conflict "is fuelled by the inflow of foreign fighters and weapons from the Russian Federation".

The conflict began in 2014 when pro-Russian rebels seized control of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugask.

--IANS

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