Donetsk, Feb 28 - DAN. Ukrainian forces deployed anti-aircraft systems, howitzers and armoured vehicles to residential areas and municipal buildings in 12 settlements near the contact line in Donbass, the Donetsk People’s Republic militia reported on Friday.

Overall, 24 pieces of hardware arrived, including 152mm towed howitzers D-20, OSA anti-aircraft missile systems, BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers.  The bulk of the hardware was deployed in violation of the Minsk Agreements, the DPR militia said.

According to intelligence reports, it is deployed in the responsibility zones of 92nd and 28th Separate Mechanised Brigades and 59th, 10th and 128th Mountain Assault Brigades in the settlements of Avdeyevka, Artyomovo, Zelenopolye, Kurakhovo, Novogrigorovka, Sokol, Kodema, Pischevik, Talakovka, Bogdanovka, Vodyanoye and Chermalyk.

Earlier reports said that the DPR People’s Militia had information that Ukrainian armed formations were preparing to deliver artillery strikes on the Gorlovka and Donetsk axes.*jk