Donetsk, May 17 – DAN. Ukrainian armed formations shelled the DPR more than 600 times since the beginning of the year, said DPR representative at the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination (JCCC) Ruslan Yakubov.
"The situation at the Contact Line is clearly degrading: Ukrainian armed formations increase fire intensity, residential quarters are being targeted daily. Last year we could say that the ceasefire was relatively observed, but since the beginning of 2021 what we see is an absolute disregard of all the agreements," he said.
"More than 600 ceasefire violation episodes have been recorded, that is 2.5 times more than in the sme period last year."
Yakubov reported four-time increase in heavy equipment employment by the Ukrainian side. In 2021, the enemy used mortars and artillery in more than 200 shelling incidents, while the intensity of fire increased three-fold.
"It is particularly distressing that residential areas come under fire daily, and the consequences are dire and tragic. In 135 days, four civilians were killed, eight sustained wounds of various degrees; three houses were flattened, 105 were damaged; 19 infrastructure facilities and five vehicles were also impacted."
The DPR People's Militia has also sustained losses: 30 service members died, 23 sustained injuries.
Earlier on Monday, the DPR Minister of Foreign Affairs Natalia Nikonorova said that the Republic is poised to demand immediate steps to halt onslaught in Donbass at the upcoming Contact Group meeting. *ot