Donetsk, Sep 19 - DAN. Ukrainian forces have stepped up the operation of reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on the Donetsk and Gorlovka axes, Donetsk People’s Republic Operations Command spokesman Daniil Bezsonov said on Wednesday.

“Despite numerous losses of aircraft, Ukrainian gunmen are continuing to actively used UAVs on the Donetsk and Gorlovka axes,” Bezsonov said.

On Tuesday, DPR militiamen shot down a Ukrainian UAV which had been used for fire adjustment in the Gorlovka area.

Earlier, the DPR Operations Command reported that a Ukrainian UAV had been downed in the south of the Republic.

Employing combat aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in 30km-wide zone along the line of contact is banned under Article 7 of Minsk Memorandum dated September 19, 2014, with the exception to OSCE SMM UAVs. However, Ukrainian forces regularly employ UAVs for aerial reconnaissance and fire adjustment.*jk