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19Dec15


Ukrainian nationalist battalions resume shelling of Donetsk - media


Fighters of pro-Kiev nationalist armed units resumed shelling on Saturday night of the village of Spartak, the area of the Volvo-Centre and former Donetsk airport controlled by militias of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), a source with DPR law and order agencies told the Donetsk news agency on Saturday.

"At about 9.00 p.m. local time (6.00 p.m. GMT) Ukrainian military opened fire on Spartak, the airport and Volvo-Centre," the source said specifying that the shelling was opened from the positions of Ukrainian forces in the villages of Peski and Opytnoye, with the use of mortars 82mm calibre and small arms.

The Package of Measures, known as Minsk-2, envisaged a ceasefire between Ukrainian government forces and people's militias in the self-proclaimed republics in Donetsk and Lugansk starting from February 15 and subsequent withdrawal of heavy weapons from the line of engagement. The deal also laid out a roadmap for a lasting settlement in Ukraine, including local elections and constitutional reform to give more autonomy to the war-torn eastern regions.

In line with an agreement reached in Minsk at a meeting of the Contact Group on settling the situation in east Ukraine, a complete ceasefire was established from September 1 at the contact line in Donbass. Still, the DPR and LPR (self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic) regularly register increasing instances of shelling from the positions of pro-Kiev armed units.

Under the Package of Measures to implement the Minsk agreements (Minsk-2) adopted on February 12, 2015, 100 mm artillery guns and weapons of larger calibre are to be pulled out to a distance of 50 kilometres from each other; MRLS - to 70 km; MRLS Tornado, Uragan and Smerch as well as the Tochka tactical operational missile complex to 140 km.

In accordance with the September supplement to the package of measures, guns under 100 mm calibre, tanks and mortar launchers, including those of 120 mm calibre, were supposed to have been withdrawn before November 12.

[Source: Itar Tass, Moscow, 19Dec15]

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