Donetsk, Dec 28 - DAN. A Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter gunship has been seen flying near frontline Maryinka and Krasnogorovka settlements, DPR Operations Command said on Thursday.
“A new provocation is happening in Kiev-held Maryinka and Krasnogorovka area. A Ukrainian army Mi-24 helicopter is loitering seven to eight kilometres from the contact line, in violation of the Minsk accords,” it said.
A DPR Operations Command officer said that DPR air defence forces had not responded to the appearance of the attack helicopter in mid air though they can destroy the target. He said that the helicopter would be downed if it crossed the contact line.
Employing combat aviation and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in 30km-wide zone along the line of contact is banned under Article 7 of Minsk Memorandum dated 19 September 2014, with the exception to OSCE SMM UAVs. *jk