31 May 2018 13:32

Ukrainian army put OSCE monitors in harm's way three times over past week - DPR

DONETSK/KYIV. May 31 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian military has fired at a patrol of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM), a representative of the operative command of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) said.

"Ukraine continues to intimidate OSCE SMM monitors. Yesterday [...] they again fired mortars in the direction of a patrol of the international mission, this time in the vicinity of Petrivske. We are concerned about the criminal activity of Ukrainian forces, which have put the life and health of OSCE monitors at risk three times this week alone," the representative said.

The DPR strongly condemns Ukrainian forces' conduct and urges their command to hold an inquiry and make an example of the culprits, the representative said.

In turn, a DPR representative at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) told reporters that "the Ukrainian military violated the truce nine times over the past 24 hours. The army attacked the following districts and populated localities: Holmivskyi, Zaitseve, Kruta Balka, Spartak, Yasynuvata, Bila Kamyanka, and Dzerzhinske."

A shift change at the Donetsk Water Filtration Station was hindered by gunfire on Wednesday, he said.

Kyiv, for its part, said that the militia had mounted 28 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, including nine involving heavy weapons, and that two Ukrainian soldiers had been injured.

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