Donetsk, May 31 - DAN. Ukrainian forces on Thursday morning opened precision fire at Donetsk People’s Republic Emergencies Ministry personnel and OSCE Special Monitoring Mission representatives on their way to the Donetsk Water Treatment plant (DFS) jeopardizing the shift change, the DPR Mission to the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination said.
“The Ukrainian side purposefully foils the DFS shift change. Today, at around 10:00, a column of cars carrying personnel of the DPR Emergencies Ministry and the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission drove from Yasinovataya toward the DFS along the H-20 road for safe passage of workers,” the JCCC said in a statement. A Ukrainian servicemen emerged from a dug-out on the western side of the road and opened aimed fire towards an Emergencies Ministry vehicle.
There were no casualties. The JCCC reported that by now the DPR Emergencies Ministry specialists have again advanced to the station for mine countermeasures to ensure the safe passage of workers and the OSCE SMM patrol to the DFS.
On Wednesday afternoon, the OSCE mission staff refused to assist the DFS shift change because of shelling by Ukrainian forces. DFS workers were not replaced as a result.
The DFS area is a hot spot in Donbass. It is located outside Yasinovataya and feeds water to both sides of the contact line. The number of DFS customers exceeds 400,000. It last suffered a power outage in the May 20 shelling.*jk