DPR denies Kyiv's accusation of phosphorus munitions use in Donbas
MOSCOW. May 21 (Interfax) - The Defense Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic has denied Kyiv's accusations that the DPR militia have used phosphorus munitions and has dismissed these claims as provocative.
"We have used nothing of the kind. These are all provocations ahead of the Contact Group meeting," Eduard Basurin of the DPR Defense Ministry told Interfax on Thursday.
Operational spokesman for the Ukrainian army Andriy Lysenko told the 112.Ukraine television station on Wednesday that militia forces had used phosphorus munitions in Donbas.
According to Lysenko, information was received that militia units were using unconventional ammunition along the line of contact in south-eastern Ukraine.
Maxim Lyutyi, who commands a unit within the Sich special operations battalion, also told the 112.Ukraine TV channel that a militia attack on the village of Peski early on May 19 involved phosphorus bombs.
Lysenko confirmed Lyutyi's report.
The Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe earlier spotted a trace presumably left by a phosphorus mine near the village of Peski in the Donetsk region, but no evidence proving this has been found.
