Convoy Carrying Women and Children Attacked In Ukraine, Government Claims

A convoy carrying dozens of Ukrainian citizens, including women and children, was struck by rocket fire Monday while traveling through the eastern city of Luhansk.

A Ukrainian military spokesperson said dozens of casualties occurred from the rocket fire, which the government is blaming on rebel forces.

"The rebels were expecting the convoy and destroyed it entirely," military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told Reuters. "We haven't been able to count the number of victims […] dozens [were killed]."

The convoy had reportedly been carrying dozens of Ukrainian citizens through the city of Luhansk in an attempt to evacuate them from the current fighting taking place in eastern Ukraine. Rebel forces have argued that they did not attack the convoy, and questioned whether the event even occurred, or was fabricated by the Ukrainian government.

Andrei Purgin, a leader of the Donetsk People's Republic rebel group, told BBC that no rebel forces attacked the convoy. "The Ukrainians themselves have bombed the road constantly with planes and Grads. It seems they've now killed more civilians like they've been doing for months now."

Alexander Zakharchenko, another rebel leader, added to the British media outlet that "Not a single convoy of refugees was shot at in the Luhansk region."

The Ukrainian government and rebel forces have repeatedly traded blame for attacks and deaths in the past. When the Malaysia Airlines flight 17 was shot down over Ukrainian rebel territory in July, both sides blamed each other for firing a BUK missile at the jetliner that killed all passengers and crew on board.