Donetsk, Feb 25 - DAN. The Donetsk People’s Republic militia said it was expecting higher tensions on the Gorlovka axis in the runup to the Contact Group meeting in Minsk.

“Our intelligence has reported that a tactical anti-sniper group arrived in the responsibility zone of the Ukrainian army’s 58th Separate Motorised Infantry Brigade, and that a tank company was put on combat alert,” the DPR People’s Militia said.

The Donbas peace talks in Minsk are scheduled for February 26. Tensions usually mount on the contact line before every meeting of the Contact Group.

Ukraine’s 58th Motorised Infantry Brigade under Col Dmitry Kaschenko’s command is deployed on the Gorlovka axis.  The Brigade delivers strikes at the DPR almost every day; on Monday, Gorlovka’s western outskirts came under fire.*jk