DPR reports fighting ongoing in Debaltseve, control over Novogrigorivka
MOSCOW. Feb 10 (Interfax) - The Defense Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) has reported fierce fighting in the Debaltseve area.
"Fierce fighting is in progress on the eastern outskirts of Debaltseve aiming to prevent the Ukrainian army's control over Chornukhyne. The DPR army has repelled feverish attempts by the army's armored vehicles to break through militia positions in Vuhlehirsk and Lozove," the Donetsk news agency quoted Eduard Basurin of the Defense Ministry of the DPR as saying on Tuesday.
In his words, the Ukrainian army has retreated to former positions and "suffered substantial manpower and hardware losses."
The DPR militia took control over the town of Novogrigorivka and northern parts of Kamenka on Tuesday, Basurin said.
He also claimed the intensive shelling of Donetsk residential areas and suburbs was from Ukrainian Smerch and Grad rocket launchers. "There have been twelve shooting incidents, in all. Three civilians died and one was injured," Basurin said.
"The Ukrainian army continues to amass reserves in the Mariupol area, preparing to storm the militia positions near Novoazovsk," he said.
The army shelled DPR controlled areas 37 times last night. "There have been overnight attacks on Donetsk, Vuhlehirsk, Horlivka and Telmanove, in all, about 37 shelling incidents," Basurin added.
