Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
So much for “Russia does not target civilians”…
The Russian military does not target civilians.
That has been claimed repeatedly by the Kremlin, even though several other sources have provided evidence to the contrary.
But the Kremlin narrative has now suffered a significant blow, as a retired Russian general has admitted to ordering artillery fire on residential areas in eastern Ukraine as early as 2014.
“I had no other choice”
Andrey Gurulyov, a retired Russian general and now a member of the Russian State Duma, said in a video that he commanded forces involved in an operation against Ukrainian positions in a settlement in Donbas in 2014.
According to reporting by United24Media, Gurulyov said Russian artillery strikes were directed at residential areas after other avenues of advance had failed.
In recounting a later conversation with a local priest, Gurulyov acknowledged responsibility for shelling that reportedly killed a woman and a child and damaged a church.
“I told him: ‘Listen, I did that.’ He looked at me with such eyes. I said: ‘I had no other choice. I had to save my people,’” Gurulyov said.
The video was highlighted by journalist Denys Kazanskyi in a video titled “In 2014, I Ordered a Strike on Civilians in Donbas! Russian State Duma Deputy Shocks with Admission.”
“If God forgives me”
Gurulyov said Russian troops were unable to move forward from several directions, including routes near a hospital and a regional administration building.
He argued that the artillery fire was necessary to defeat opposing forces and said he was not seeking forgiveness for the decision.
“If God forgives me, fine. If not, then I didn’t deserve it,” he said, adding that he wanted the story to be told honestly in church sermons.
During the same broadcast, Gurulyov insisted that Russia does not deliberately target civilians. However, he also called for attacks on Kyiv’s infrastructure, including rail connections and utilities.
Why this is a significant admission
The Kremlin has repeatedly insisted that Russian forces and aerial attacks do not target civilians.
By openly admitting that he ordered the shelling of a residential area, Gurulyov is contradicting the long-standing Kremlin narrative.
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) has previously stated that Gurulyov’s role in the war in eastern Ukraine contributed to his promotion to lieutenant general and earned him the Russian Order of Courage in 2016.
According to HUR, he was directly involved in operations on Ukrainian territory during 2014 and 2015.
