Donetsk, Jan 10 – DAN. Ukraine's General Staff ordered the JFO commander Alexander Pavlyuk to intensify attacks on the DPR, the Republic's People's Militia said.

"We attribute the rising number of shelling incidents to the reduced attention of the international community to the Ukrainian agenda, as NATO - Russia talks are upcoming. Kiev feels the need to remind the West of its existence and of its being the major reason behind the talks. The command to intensify fire was issued on January 8," the report reads.

The recent attacks on the DPR were carried out by nationalistic formations deployed to the contact line since mid-December.

The security situation along the contact line deteriorated on January 9 as Kiev forces intensified barrages of frontline areas in the DPR and LPR. *ot