Donetsk, Jan 10 – DAN. Ukrainian forces shelled DPR frontline areas 515 times over the past 24 hours, DPR Operations Command deputy commander Eduard Basurin said on Tuesday.
“Ukrainian forces violated the ceasefire 515 times over the past 24 hours, firing seven artillery rounds, 60 120mm and 82mm mortar rounds and 287 grenade launcher rounds; IFV cannons and small arms were also used,” Basurin said.
Gorlovka and its suburban neighbourhoods Shirokaya Balka and Zaitsevo came under heavy fire in which four residential houses were damaged. In Kiev-occupied Shumy and Novgorodskoye villages outside the town, DPR intelligence revealed the location of nine IFVs and 15 truckloads of munitions, according to the military official.
Ukrainian forces also targeted Yasinovataya and its Krutaya Balka, Spartak and Vesyoloye villages. Seven IFVs and four truckloads of munitions were spotted in Kiev-controlled Pervomaiskoye village area (6 km from the contact line), Basurin said.
Trudovskiye and Aleksandrovka villages west of Donetsk and the airport area in the north of the city were shelled as well.
Sakhanka village in DPR south came under Ukrainian forces fire again, and in Kiev-controlled Novosyolovka area on south axis, eight and ten kilometres from the contact line, DPR intelligence revealed the strengthening of enemy positions with three Akatsia 152 mm self-propelled howitzers and Nona-S self-propelled howitzers. Five armoured vehicles and five trucks with personnel arrived there, Basurin said.
An indefinite 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 shelling by Ukrainian forces continues.*jk