Donetsk, May 22 - DAN. Donetsk People’s Republic head Alexander Zakharchenko expressed confidence at the Tuesday session of the Ukrainian People’s Tribunal for investigating the Poroshenko regime’s war crimes against Ukrainian citizens that the persons guilty of the Donbass conflict will get the punishment they deserve.

“Ukraine has been purposefully killing the Donbass population. Today’s session (of the UPT - eds Donetsk News Agency) is very important. Let the world know... that nobody will avoid responsibility,” said Zakharchenko who took the stand at the Tuesday hearing as a witness.

During his testimony, Zakharchenko addressed the lawyer for the defence: “Your courage is amazing, I’ll tell you honestly that the burden you took as the defence is heavy. But I want everybody to understand that if we want a real tribunal, we have to provide defence, as the law requires, to the incumbent Kiev monsters. You’re doing it with honour and dignity.”

Answering a judge’s question, Zakharchenko underlined that there was no alternative to a peaceful settlements of the Donbass conflict.

“The only way out is full implementation of the Minsk agreements. Donbass is one. It is home to our brothers and sisters; the ties that have developed historically in the region cannot be severed in an artificial manner. We have a humanitarian programme for Donbass people reunification. The DPR, using its own resources, provides free medical assistance to Ukrainian residents and teaches children. These ties cannot be severed. They’ve always been, always will be,” the DPR leader said answering the prosecutor’s question how Donetsk, amidst the ongoing war, interacts with residents of Kiev-controlled areas.

Earlier, the Ukrainian People’s Tribunal brought charges against eight officials including Ukrainian president Petr Poroshenko, Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, National Security and Defence Council Secretary Alexander Turchinov, Prime Minister Vladimir Groisman, Chief of the General Staff Viktor Muzhenko, Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak, parliament speaker Andrey Parubiy and former Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk.

The UPT set up by Ukrainian activists living in Donetsk and Lugansk is reviewing cases in accordance with the Ukrainian legislation and norms of international law.*jk