Over 40 truce breaches recorded in DPR in past 24 hours
DONETSK. March 20 (Interfax) - The territory of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) has been shelled more than 100 times in the past 24 hours, and the Ukrainian casualties of the past three days amounted to eight dead and 15 injured, according to Donetsk militia.
"The situation on the contact line remains tense. Over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian forces have shelled our territory 103 times as a result of 43 ceasefire violations. In all, the enemy launched 32 mortars from 120 millimeter mortar launchers and 35 mortars from 82 millimeter mortar launchers. The enemy also used various types of grenade launchers and small arms," DPR defense representative Eduard Basurin told reporters on Sunday.
The most intense attacks, involving heavy weaponry prohibited by the Minsk agreements, were launched against the following populated areas: Zaitseve, Spartak, Kominternove, the Trudovske district and the Donetsk airport area, Basurin said.
"DPR intelligence agents spotted two platoons (of up to 50 personnel) from the Dniepr-1 subunit moving from Volnovakha to Novoselivka-2," he said.
The enemy also continues installing engineering equipment on its positions, he said.
Furthermore, according to DPR intelligence agents, Ivchenko-Progress was commissioned by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry to make 5,000 propulsion units for rocket-propelled anti-personnel flame throwers, Basurin said.
"Based on this information, it is possible to conclude that the Ukrainian military are getting ready to launch offensives in urban conditions, because the use of this type of weapon is efficient in large populated areas," Basurin said.
He also said that the latest data were received from the Ukrainian armed forces about their casualties as a result of an attempt to attack DPR positions near Yasynuvata.
"Over the past three days casualties in the brigade's subunits amounted to eight dead and 15 injured, three of them are in extremely critical condition and need an evacuation. But their commanders are trying to conceal the casualties, which could lead to those injured dying in the very near future," the DPR defense representative said.
