Donetsk, Feb 11 – DAN. The Ukrainian army has carried out military drills involving MLRS "Smerch" in the disengagement zone in violation of the Minsk Agreements, said the head of the DPR People's Militia command press service Daniil Bezsonov.
"As to our knowledge, special training was carried out on the firing range outside Urzuf (southern Donbass). The troops were trained to take up firing positions and prepare 300 mm MLRS "Smerch" for action. The MLRS used are listed with the 15 rocket artillery regiment of the Ukrainian army."
The usage of these systems in the designated area is a direct violation of the Minsk Agreements, Bezsonov said, as it is located 49 km away from the contact line.
Earlier reports said Kiev forces relocated 203 mm self-propelled "Pion" guns.
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 caliber or more to a distance of 50 kilometers apart from each other, multiple launch rocket systems Tornado, Uragan and Smerch to a distance of 70 kilometers and Tactical Missile Systems Tochka to a distance of 140 kilometers.
The Attachment to the Minsk Agreements signed in September provides for the parties’ withdrawal of their artillery systems of a caliber less than 100 mm, as well as tanks and mortars. Despite the accords, Ukraine regularly shells DPR areas. *ot