Mortality at Donbas crossing checkpoints surges 40% in 2019 – rights activists

Mortality at checkpoints set up along the line of contact between the warring sides in eastern Ukraine's Donbas in 2019 increased by 40% year-on-year.

That's according to East Human Rights Group, whose experts conducted a comparative analysis of fatal cases at checkpoints, earlier published by the Ukrainian Ombudsman's Office.

In 2018, nine people died at checkpoints across Donetsk region, and 15 people – in the past year.

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In Luhansk region, respectively, it was 10 and 12 people.

"So the official reports show the mortality rate increased by 40% in 2019 against 2018," human rights activists noted, recalling the need to ensure constant presence of ER teams at crossing checkpoints.

As UNIAN reported earlier, a civilian man died while crossing into the government-controlled territory at a checkpoint in Stanytsia Luhanska January 21.