DPR refutes reports about militia gearing up for offensive on Mariupol
MOSCOW. Oct 21 (Interfax) - The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) is not preparing an offensive on Mariupol, DPR defense ministry senior official Eduard Basurin told Interfax.
"The situation is certainly far from being clear, but the counteroffensive or the preparation of a counteroffensive on Mariupol is out of question. We strictly adhere to the Minsk Agreements," Basurin said on Friday.
According to earlier media reports, DPR allegedly announced readiness to launch a counter-offense outside Mariupol.
DPR chief negotiator Denis Pushilin told Interfax that what he says is that the self-proclaimed republic's armed forces are ready to counter an offensive, but not to attack first.
"We are ready to counter an attack all across the line of contact," he said.