Ukrainian govt forces, Donbas militia accuse each other of shelling
DONETSK/KYIV. Jan 3 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian armed forces fired artillery guns and firearms six times upon the militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk people's republic (DPR) last night, the Donetsk news agency reported with reference to the DPR defense ministry on Saturday.
"The Ukrainian armed forces fired upon our positions with firearms and artillery guns six times last night. Fortunately, nobody was hurt by the firings," a defense ministry spokesman said.
The Kyivsky and Petrovsky districts of Donetsk are the most dangerous locations at the moment, as artillery rounds hit them more often than others, he said.
"The people have been warned that it is unsafe to be in these districts. Some city dwellers have left their homes and moved closer to the center of Donetsk or temporarily left the city," he said.
Eduard Basurin, a deputy chief of staff of the DPR militia, told Interfax on Saturday that Ukrainian armed forces violated the ceasefire agreements ten times on January 2.
"We have recorded 10 facts of truce violations over the past 24 hours. The Ukrainian military used mortars and firearms to shell our positions. The main hotbeds are positions near the Donetsk airport and in the northern outskirts of the city. Violations were also recorded in the area of Horlivka. The populated area of Kirovske was also shelled with artillery guns," he said.
The Ukrainian government forces reported that the militia had fired upon their positions six times with firearms, grenade launchers, mortars, and artillery guns during the previous night.
The press center of the military operation in eastern Ukraine reported on its Facebook account that the militia had fired upon the outskirts of the communities of Nikishyne and Pisky. It said also that mortars had been fired upon Ridkodub and Pisky.
Grenade launchers were used to shell the new terminal of the Donetsk airport and outskirts of the community of Chermalyk, and artillery fire was opened at Olkhovatka, it said.
