Moscow aware of Ukraine massing heavy weaponry on dividing line in Donbas
MOSCOW. Sept 1 (Interfax) - The Kyiv military have been massing weapons with a caliber of over 100 millimeters along the dividing line in Donbas, Moscow says.
"The Russian side at the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) has informed the OSCE SMM (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission) staff about Kyiv massing weapons with a caliber over 100 millimeters on the dividing line between the sides," a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry Department for Information and Press told Interfax on Tuesday.
He cited specific facts: "In Chasiv Yar, (Ukraine) deployed 60 self-propelled artillery launchers, tanks, IFVs (infantry fighting vehicles), APCs (armored personnel carriers) and up to 4,000 personnel. In Mykolaivka, about five Buk-M1 surface-to-air missile systems have been deployed. In Starohnativka, (Ukraine) deployed units of the 72nd Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, armed with 120-millimeter mortar launchers and 152-millimeter artillery. In Verkhniotoretske, D-3 howitzer artillery weapons and Grad rocket launchers were seen, as was the movement of a military convoy from the village of Zhellane towards Novosiolivka (six APCs, five IFVs and five petrol tankers)."
"In Hranitne, near an industrial dairy farm, (Ukraine) deployed two D-30 howitzer artillery weapons, five tanks, two APCs, five IFVs, one refueller and up to 250 personnel; furthermore, up to 90 marines and up to 120 paratroopers arrived, as did a mechanized platoon in BTR-80 personnel carriers," the source said.
In addition, on the southeastern edge of Novohryhorivka, firing positions have been set up for artillery systems and up to 30 self-propelled artillery systems and tanks have arrived near the village of Vershina.