Interfax: Donetsk republic attacked nearly 300 times by govt forces in 24 hours

(Interfax – April 23, 2016)

The Ukrainian troops have opened fire against the self-proclaimed Donetsk people’s republic (DPR) about 300 times in the past 24 hours, DPR defense representative Eduard Basurin said.

“Over the past 24 hours the Ukrainian armed forces have shelled our republic 296 times.

In all, the enemy fired 190 mortars of the 82- and 120-millimeter caliber. Infantry fighting vehicles, various types of grenade launchers and small arms were also used,” Basurin said.

Furthermore, “the local Ukrainian authorities, with no explanation of any reason, unilaterally turned off gas in the town of Pervomaiske,” he said.

“We tried to get through to the Ukrainians but never got any clear explanations. We see this move by the Ukrainian authorities as a crime against civilians,” Basurin said.

In Pervomaiske, the multi-unit town hospital, as well as over 30 schools and kindergartens and other social infrastructure facilities remain without gas supplies, he said.

DPR intelligence agents saw forces moving their equipment and preparations for a provocation in a Ukrainian-controlled territory so as to accuse of it the DPR armed forces later Basurin said.

“Effectively, the forces are preparing a shell attack on their own populated areas so as to make it look later like an aggression on the part of the DPR armed forces.

Of particular concern is the presence of Ukrainian multiple rocket launches near the contact line near Avdiivka,” he said.

Earlier, Ukrainian presidential administration spokesman Andriy Lysenko said two Ukrainian soldiers had been injured and no one killed in shelling in the Donbas military-operation zone during the preceding 24 hours.