Donetsk, Jan 13 – DAN. Ukrainian forces shelled Donetsk People’s Republic almost five thousand times over the past week, the situation remains tense, a DPR defense official said.

“The situation along the contact line remains tense. The enemy focused its terrorist efforts on Mariupol and Donetsk axes. The number of strikes amounted to 4,988. Artillery, tanks and mortars were used to shell the Republic in 1,500 cases,” DPR Operations Command deputy commander Colonel Eduard Basurin told a news briefing at the Donetsk News Agency on Friday.

An 11-year-old girl was wounded as Kiev shelled DPR southern areas, a DPR militiaman also sustained injuries.

Basurin said that 23 towns and villages were hit this week, five households were damaged in Zaitsevo, Gorlovka and Zaitsevo and DPR south.

A railroad facility in Yasinovataya was damaged, an outbuilding in Krutaya Balka was destroyed.

Basurin said Ukrainian forces adjusted fire with unmanned aerial vehicles.

DPR intelligence reported a battery of Ukrainian self-propelled artillery systems Gvozdika, up to tank battalion, APC company, IFV platoon on Gorlovka axis.

MLRS Grad, D-30 howitzers and two tank sections in Gorlovka area.

On Donetsk axis an infantry battalion supported by tank platoon and two artillery platoons (Gvozdika ans Giatsint-B self-propelled artillery), and 120mm mortar firing battery were spotted.

In vicinity of Mariupol a self-propelled howitzer battery, a 82mm mortar battery  and two tank companies were spotted.

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 calibre or more to a distance of 50 kilometres apart from each other, multiple launch rocket systems Tornado, Uragan and Smerch to a distance of 70 kilometres and Tactical Missile Systems Tochka to a distance of 140 kilometres. The follow-up to the Minsk Agreements signed in September provides for the parties’ withdrawal of their artillery systems of a calibre less than 100 mm, as well as tanks and mortars. *ot