Donetsk, Jan 12 – DAN. Ukrainian forces shelled DPR frontline areas 1,340 times over the past 24 hours, DPR Operations Command deputy commander Eduard Basurin said on Thursday.
“The situation in the Donetsk People’s Republic remains tense. Ukrainian gunmen violated the ceasefire 1,340 times over the past 24 hours, firing 80 artillery rounds, 351 120mm and 82mm mortar rounds and 700 grenade launcher rounds. They also used infantry fighting vehicle cannon and small arms,” Basurin said.
Staromikhailovka, Aleksandrovka and Trudovskiye villages west of Donetsk and the airport area north of Donetsk were heavily shelled. Five houses and a gas pipe were damaged by shelling in western part of the city, he said.
Kiev forces targeted Zaitsevo, Golmovskiy, Batmanovka, Mikhailovka, Ozeryanovka and Shirokaya Balka villages outside Gorlovka again. DPR intelligence spotted the arrival of two platoons in Kiev-occupied Novgorodskoye village area facing the town, including up to 60 personnel in full gear with small arms from 1st battalion of separate airmobile brigade.
Ukrainian forces also opened fire at Yasinovataya and neighbouring Vasilyevka, Vesyoloye and Zhabichevo villages.
Shelling in DPR south has not stopped, Basurin said, adding that Oktyabr and Leninskoye villages came under Ukrainian forces fire in the past 24 hours.
DPR intelligence revealed the location of three Gvozdika 122mm self-propelled howitzers in vicinity of Kiev-occupied Pavlopol (5.5 km from the contact line) on south axis.
A ceasefire was agreed by the Contact Group at its meeting on December 21st, in effect from midnight December 24th Kiev time – 1 a.m. December 24th DPR time, but Ukrainian forces continue to shell DPR territory.*jk