No use of heavy weapons recorded in Donbas over past 2 days - OSCE SMM
No use of heavy weapons has been recorded in the conflict area in the eastern part of Ukraine over the past two days, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (OSCE SMM) said in a Tuesday report based on information available as of August 31, 2015.
"The Ukrainian Armed Forces Major-General, head of the Ukrainian side to the JCCC, told the SMM that while the number of ceasefire violations had significantly decreased, the security situation remained tense. According to him, over the last two days there was no recorded use of heavy weapons," the OSCE said in its report.
At the same time, the SMM had "heard several explosions in areas north-east of Mariupol, such as 'DPR' [self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic]-controlled Sontseve [59km north-east of Mariupol] and government-controlled Pavlopil [26km north-east of Mariupol]."
The SMM also heard five explosions and shooting at a training range 45 kilometers northeast of Mariupol controlled by the DPR, "which it assessed to have been fired from infantry fighting vehicles [IFVs], anti-tank guns [ATGs] and anti-tank guided missiles [ATGM]."
The situation in Luhansk region remained relatively calm, and no weapons were used, the report says.
The press center of the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine said on its Facebook account on Tuesday evening that the situation in the combat area remained quiet on September 1, although Kyiv's armed opponents violated the ceasefire four times between midnight and 6:00 p.m.
"Typical signs of shelling indicate rather that the fire directed at our positions was chaotic and unsystematic," it said.
In particular, Ukrainian government forces reported that their stronghold in Schastia, in Luhansk region, was fired upon with mortars at about 8:00 a.m., their positions in Maryinka were shelled at 3:00 p.m., and grenade launchers and small arms were used to attack a stronghold south of Avdiyivka at 5:30 p.m.
Militants also fired small arms and a grenade launcher at government forces' positions in Sanzharivka at about 3:00 p.m., it said.
