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18Aug15


Russia informed OSCE of Kiev's heavy weaponry buildup – Foreign Ministry


Russia has informed observers of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that the Ukrainian army is building up weaponry with a caliber of over 100 millimeters along the disengagement line, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

"Russian representatives in the Joint Control and Coordination Center informed employees of the OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission of the buildup of weapons with a caliber of over 100 mm by the Ukrainian Armed Forces along the disengagement line between the sides," the spokeswoman said in a video commentary.

"In particular, it was established that six self-propelled artillery systems and three tanks were mounted in Novotroitskoye, 11 Grad [multiple launch rocket] systems arrived in Krasnogorovka, nine self-propelled artillery systems, two Pion artillery guns and four Grad systems were deployed near Tarasovka and Vodyanoye," her comment said.

"Two Grad systems were deployed in Mirnoye, two D-30 howitzers of the 152-mm caliber were placed in Talakovka, 10 D-30 howitzers were deployed in Starognatovka and Novognatovka. Besides, the personnel of a private military firm has arrived in Starognatovka, and the movement of a Ukrainian convoy of three towed D-30 howitzers of the 122-mm caliber has been registered near Mayorsk," Zakharova said.

She said "relevant information, including photo and video materials on the mentioned violations, has been handed to the OSCE SMM."

Massive shelling of residential neighborhoods, including with the use of aviation, has killed thousands and led to a humanitarian disaster in east Ukraine since Kiev in April 2014 announced the start of an "antiterrorism operation" there, which involved the Armed Forces, the Interior Ministry's National Guard and volunteer battalions made up of Euromaidan activists, many of whom hold far-right and neo-Nazi views.

Ukraine has regularly violated the ceasefire regime imposed as part of the Package of Measures on implementation of the September 2014 Minsk Agreements.

The situation in eastern Ukraine has deteriorated in recent weeks, with the number of reports on shelling and civilian deaths increasing. The self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics (DPR and LPR) have repeatedly said that the observance of the ceasefire that took effect February 15 depends solely on the Ukrainian side.

[Source: Itar Tass, Moscow, 18Aug15]

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