OSCE Says Self-styled Donetsk People’s Republic Gunmen Moved Crash Victim’s Bodies to Refrigerated Rail Cars

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Kyiv, July 20, 2014 – Michael Bociurkiw, spokesperson for the OSCE special monitoring mission to Ukraine, reported from Donetsk oblast that armed terrorists moved many of the MH 17 crash victims’ bodies to hree refrigerated railway cars at the train station in the town of Torez.

Bociurkiw said he was told 167 bodies were stored in these cars, although he had no way to verify the number or whether these bodies were actually from the crash scene. The bodies were placed in bags and tagged.

He said, based on conversations with the terrorists, the cars will remain waiting until the arrival of international experts when it will be decided where to take them. He also said the cars were likely to eventually move to territory controlled by Ukraine’s government.

OSCE special monitoring mission members were escorted by heavily armed fighters from the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic to the station. The refrigerated cars were very securely locked. “It would have been impossible for anyone to just come in and open the door,” Bociurkiw said. The cars seem to have arrived to Torez last night or early this morning. The power for the refrigeration comes from the locomotive attached to the cars. Bociurkiw also said the terrorists appeared to be guarding the cars around the clock.

The mission returned to the crash site where Bociurkiw said he observed Ukrainian search and rescue workers take over the difficult task of sorting through debris and remaining body parts. He said the area has been exposed to intense heat. “It was a gruesome scene to watch,” – the OSCE spokesperson said.

The 24-strong OSCE special monitoring mission was the first team to arrive on July 18 at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17 and has been closely watched by armed terrorists.