Donetsk, Dec 19 – DAN. Ukrainian troops held exercises with MLRS Grad, self-propelled artillery pieces Gvozdika and Akatsia, and 100 mm anti-tank guns MT-12, said the head of the DPR People's Militia command press service Daniil Bezsonov.
"Our intelligence continuously reports the enemy's preparations for active military action in the north of our Republic. The artillery group of the 72nd mechanized brigade held drills south-east of Artyemovsk to secure positions, prepare and delivering fire."
Two self-propelled artillery battalions equipped with MLRS Gvozdika and Akatsia, rocket artillery battalion with MLRS Grad, anti-tank artillery battalion with 100 mm anti-tank guns MT-12 took part in the exercise involving 54 hardware pieces in total under command of 72nd brigade commander Ruslan Tatus.
Earlier DPR Intelligence reported Kiev is preparing a large-scale offensive against the DPR and concentrating large force along the contact line.
The most recent updates said that currently four brigades (72nd mechanized, 58th infantry, 1st tank and 81st air mobile) are concentrated in the vicinity of Gorlovka; while the 30th and 93rd mechanized brigades, two MLRS 'Uragan' batallions and one 'Smerch' 300 mm battalion are expected to arrive. Over 120 tanks and 250 artillery pieces and mortars, and 110 MLRS systems have been deployed there.
Ukraine declared martial law on November 26 in ten Ukrainian regions adjacent to Russia and Transnistria, or Kiev-controlled Donbass regions, or the Black Sea and Sea of Azov.
Martial law is brought in all over the state or in designated areas in accordance with the bill "On the Legal Regime of Martial Law". Martial law provides military authorities and leadership with greater and unlimited power, while restricting civil liberties such as public gatherings, media freedoms and free movement.*ot