Donetsk, Dec 21 – DAN. Ukrainian forces reinforced their positions with howitzers, tanks, IFV and mortars, DPR Operations Command deputy commander Colonel Eduard Basurin told a news briefing at the Donetsk News Agency on Wednesday.
“Our intelligence keeps recording Ukrainian armed forces reinforcement of their positions close to the contact line,” he said.
Four tanks and eight IFVs were deployed to Artemovsk area (10km from the contact line); four 82mm mortars were located in Novoselovka Vtoraya (3km from the contact line, Mariupol axis); 10 tanks and three 122mm towed howitzers D-30 were spotted in Trudovskoye area (10km from the contact line) and Talakovka area (3km from the contact line) areas.
DPR intelligence reports Kiev’s regular deployment of military equipment to the conflict zone. Under The Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements signed by the Contact Group on February 12, 2015, the sides have to withdraw their artillery systems of 100 mm calibre or more to a distance of 50 kilometres apart from each other, multiple launch rocket systems Tornado, Uragan and Smerch to a distance of 70 kilometres and Tactical Missile Systems Tochka to a distance of 140 kilometres. The Addendum to the Minsk Agreements signed in September provides for the parties’ withdrawal of their artillery systems of a calibre less than 100 mm, as well as tanks and mortars. *ot