Donetsk, Oct 23 - DAN. Ukrainian forces planted anti-personnel mines in country roads around the Novgorodskoye village west of Gorlovka, Donetsk People’s Republic People’s Militia spokesman Daniil Bezsonov said on Tuesday.
“According to the information received from local residents, gunmen of 16th Battalion, 58th Brigade, planted MON-type anti-personnel mines in the outskirts of Novgorodskoye. Six of the ten mines were laid on country roads used by local residents,” Bezsonov said.
The DPR militia spokesman said that the choice of mined areas and their distance from the contact line suggested that the mines were meant to kill civilians rather than strengthen Ukrainian defences.
Meanwhile, DPR intelligence continues to record an increase in non-battle losses in the zone of the “Joint Forces Operation” due to poor discipline of Ukrainian army personnel.
In the Talakovka settlement area, 79th Brigade Pvt Semenchenko, in a state of alcoholic intoxication, left his post at night to visit the settlement. On his way back, he took a shortcut and walked into a friendly minefield where hit hit an anti-personnel mine, Bezsonov said.
“According to our intelligence, the solider had served in the Ukrainian army for two weeks and had not been listed in the unit roster; he died on his third watch,” he said.
Earlier, DPR intelligence repeatedly reported casualties suffered by Ukrainian forces in their own minefields. One of the latest incidents occurred on October 21, when a Ukrainian servicemen was severely wounded in the explosion of a mine planted by his colleagues.*jk