School workers in occupied Donetsk refused to show the OSCE SMM consequences of alleged shelling by the AFU. This is stated in the Mission's daily report.
Earlier, the occupation authorities stated that the JFO units allegedly fired at school No.116 in the Petrovsky district of Donetsk in the morning of March 21. With reference to the words of the director of the educational institution, the information was spread that "when the period bell rang and the children went to the classrooms, it began to thunder". Allegedly, the children were evacuated after this and sent home, and the staff "checked the area and found a shell under the school window". The director assured that "the roof and wall were damaged in the building".
The OSCE SMM observers, who arrived to record the effects of shelling of the school, found a single hole 15 cm in diameter 30 cm from the ground, most likely, inflicted by the heavy machine-gun fire.
No details of the alleged shelling were reported by the school staff, stating that "the SMM needs to obtain permission in advance from the leadership of the armed formations for further communication with them".
Furthermore, the Mission's observers were not allowed into the school in the uncontrolled village of Holmivskyi, allegedly also shelled by Ukraine. The teachers reported that "in accordance with the instructions received from the leadership of the armed formations, they are not allowed to either admit observers to the school or communicate with them".
Due to the prohibition of access, the OSCE SMM made a visual inspection of the building from afar, seeing a 1 cm hole and several cracks in the second floor window on the north side. "Since the Mission's patrol was not allowed to enter the school, it was unable to determine the type of weapon used or the direction of fire", - the Mission's report said.