[10] In 2018, the Bellingcat open-data investigative group revealed evidence that officers and equipment of Russian forces were directly involved in the attack.

[11][12] The rebels denied the attack, but their leader, Alexander Zakharchenko, announced an offensive against Mariupol in the early morning of this day.

[13][14] According to a spot report by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, the Grad and Uragan rockets originated from the areas controlled by the pro-Russian forces.

[15][16] United Nations political chief Jeffrey D. Feltman said the attacks "knowingly targeted civilians," violated international humanitarian law, and could amount to war crimes.

[27] The rocket attacks came a day after the rebels rejected a peace deal and announced they were going on a multi-prong offensive against the government forces in Kyiv to vastly increase their territory.

Zakharchenko also stated that was is a provocation as DPR militants did not have the mentioned artillery systems and according to his sources the shelling was conducted from Staryi Krym.

Speaking at an emergency meeting at the Ukrainian Security council, he said that the Minsk Protocol signed on September 5 was the only solution to end the conflict.

[37] On 3 February, separatists reportedly tried to attack Mariupol, but Ukrainian forces claimed they destroyed two enemy tanks and a group of insurgents near the city.

[38] On 4 February, the Ukrainian SBU reported that they had successfully completed a special operation to liquidate the detachment of Russian Army which had conducted this attack.

[42] However, fighting continued in the area and by late April, Deutsche Welle reported that pro-Russian militants had set up positions in the centre of Shyrokyne.

[43] The attack was condemned in a public statement by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini.