Ukrainian military use all types of weapons to fire at Donetsk - DPR
DONETSK. Jan 18 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian military started massive shelling of Donetsk Sunday morning, military advisor to the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Valentyn Matuzenko reports.
"Massive shelling of Donetsk and neighboring communities from the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine started this morning. The Ukrainian military are firing from all types of armaments: artillery, Grad [multiple rocket launchers], mortars and grenade-launchers," the Donetsk news agency quotes him as saying.
The agency says a shell hit the courtyard of a residential building dear the Donbas Arena actually in the city center.
"Donetsk city residents say they have not heard such intensive cannonade as this morning since summer," the report says.
Earlier on Sunday a spokesman for the HQ of the DPR militia told Interfax that during the past 24 hours the Ukrainian military made several attempts to break through to Donetsk.
"The militia force succeeded in stopping several breakthrough attempts in the area of Donetsk airport and from the direction of Marinka to the west of Donetsk," he said.
The spokesman said the Ukrainian army redirected the fire closer to the city center.