Donetsk, Jan 9 – DAN. Ukrainian forces shelled DPR frontline areas more than 520 times over the past 24 hours, DPR Operations Command deputy commander Eduard Basurin told a news briefing at Donetsk News Agency.
"Ukrainian gunmen violated the ceasefire 521 times in the past 24 hours, firing 64 120mm and 82mm mortar rounds and 316 grenade launcher rounds and 3 tank gun rounds. They also used infantry fighting vehicle cannons and small arms," Basurin said.
Ukrainian forces targeted Luganskoye and Aleksandrovka villages in Donetsk’s Petrovskiy district. DPR intelligence 30 foreign mercenaries arriving in Maryinka(1km from the contact line). In Kurakhovo, 18km from the contact line, about 300 personnel of the Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) were deployed to cleanse civilians.
Zaitsevo and Zheleznaya Balka in vicinity of Gorlovka came under intense shelling. Eleven APC were located in the neighboring Shumy (Kiev-controlled).
The situation in the south remains tense, Basurin said. Leninskoye, Sakhanka, Dzerzhinskoye and Kominternovo in Novoazovskiy district were shelled.
In the area of Kiev-occupied Travnevoye DPR intelligence spotted troops of a unit of 46th special task battalion deployed there. Four trucks with ammunition arrived in occupied Chermalyk and Mirnoye townships, as well as snipers from 501st separate marine brigade.
A ceasefire was agreed by the Contact Group at its meeting on December 21st, in effect from midnight December 24th Kiev time – 1 a.m. December 24th DPR time, but shelling by Ukrainian forces continues.*ot