Donetsk, Dec 17 – DAN. Ukrainian army has postponed the assault against Donbass till December 24-25, said DPR People's Militia deputy chief-of-staff Eduard Basurin.
"Ukrainian command had to postpone the assault. Poroshenko's plans are absolutely transparent, he needs a pretext to extend the martial law which expires on December 26. He is looking for options. An assault might be attempted on December 24-25."
Earlier DPR Intelligence reported Kiev is preparing a large-scale offensive against the DPR and concentrating large force along the contact line.
The most recent updates said that currently four brigades (72nd mechanized, 58th infantry, 1st tank and 81st air mobile) are concentrated in the vicinity of Gorlovka; while the 30th and 93rd mechanized brigades, two MLRS 'Uragan' batallions and one 'Smerch' 300 mm battalion are expected to arrive. Over 120 tanks and 250 artillery pieces and mortars, and 110 MLRS systems have been deployed there.
Ukraine declared martial law on November 26 in ten Ukrainian regions adjacent to Russia and Transnistria, or Kiev-controlled Donbass regions, or the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
Martial law is brought in all over the state or in designated areas in accordance with the bill "On the Legal Regime of Martial Law". Martial law provides military authorities and leadership with greater and unlimited power, while restricting civil liberties such as public gatherings, media freedoms and free movement.*ot