Interfax: Luhansk reports Ukrainian army’s use of forbidden weapons

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LUHANSK. June 30 (Interfax) – The Ukrainian army has shelled the territory of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) twelve times in the past four days, using armaments and hardware prohibited by the Minsk agreements, deputy chief of staff of the LPR militia corps Col. Igor Yashchenko has said.

“Violations of the Minsk agreements by the Ukrainian Armed Forces are ongoing. In the past four days, populated localities of the republic have come under twelve attacks of the Ukrainian army. Moreover, the Ukrainian army is using means of war and armaments directly prohibited by the Minsk agreements,” Yashchenko said at a press briefing in Luhansk.

“In the aforementioned period, over 25 rounds were fired from 120mm mortars. There was also fire from anti-tank grenade launchers, 25 shots in all, and over 30 shots fired from automatic grenade launchers. Combat infantry vehicles fired 35 shells on a dacha area near the Prince Igor Monument in the vicinity of Stanitsa Luhanska. Over 40 rounds were fired from an 82mm mortar,” the deputy chief of staff said.

In his words, Pervomaisk, dacha areas near Stanitsa Luhanska and the towns of Zhelobok, Holubivske, Zhovte, Vesela Hora and Rayevka were most frequent targets of the attacks.

An LPR militiaman was wounded in overnight shelling in Pervomaisk.

The Luhansk information center earlier reported an overnight artillery attack of Ukrainian servicemen on Pervomaisk, as a result of which the entire town had a blackout.

“Army bombardments damaged gas pipeline facilities in Pervomaisk and, unfortunately, wounded one serviceman of the people’s militia,” Yashchenko said at a press briefing in Luhansk.

In his words, the degree of damage done by the shelling was being verified.

Yashchenko said that militia units were not responding to provocations of the Ukrainian army and abstained from taking active measures. “But we are warning that we are prepared to defend our independence if necessary,” he said.

 

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