A policeman was killed in Horlivka under AFU shelling

In the Nikitovskyi district of Horlivka, police officer Andrey Stroev was killed in the line of duty as a result of shelling by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). This was reported by the Interior Ministry of the Donetsk People's Republic (DNR) on December 18.

"Having received a signal about the incident, police officers <...> immediately moved to the address to provide assistance to citizens. While performing their official duty, there was a shelling. After the shelling, shrapnel from an AFU shell pierced through the car driven by a law enforcement officer," the department said in a statement published in its Telegram channel.

It specified that Stroev's partner was not injured, but the policeman himself received wounds incompatible with life.

The management and personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs expressed condolences to the family and friends.

"Andrei Yurievich was a loyal friend, colleague, comrade, devoted to the end of his profession, who died performing his official duty," the Interior Ministry added.

Earlier, on December 16, the AFU shelled Gorlovka with cluster munitions. Two female residents were injured and a man was killed in the attack. According to the Izvestia correspondent who was on the spot, the shells damaged the Stirol hotel and several cars.

On December 10, the head of the DNR Denis Pushilin said that attempts by Ukrainian militants to attack Gorlovka have no military expediency, but they have not stopped so far.

Ukrainian militants have been shelling Russian territory, especially its new regions, on a daily basis amid the special operation to defend Donbas, which the Russian Federation announced the start of on February 24, 2022.