Donetsk, Jul 24 - DAN. Ukrainian forces fired 72 artillery and mortar rounds at DPR frontline areas over the past 24 hours, DPR Operations Command deputy commander Eduard Basurin said on Monday.

“On Donetsk axis, the enemy fired six 122mm artillery rounds, 39 120mm mortar rounds and 13 82mm mortar rounds at 14 settlements,” Basurin said. “On Mariupol axis, the enemy shelled five settlements with eight tank gun rounds, six 120mm mortar rounds and also used grenade launchers and small arms.”

The military official said Kiev forces increasingly often used 120mm illumination mortar rounds as incendiaries. “Ukrainian forces use illumination mortar rounds setting the fuse to ignite the flare body at low altitudes to extend burn time on the ground,“ Basurin said.

Illumination rounds were used in yesterday's shelling of Kominternovo where a residential house burnt down, he said.

Frontline Zaitsevo village outside Gorlovka came under Ukrainian army grenade launcher and small arms fire. *jk