OSCE: Situation in Donbas continues to deteriorate
The OSCE Mission continues to record a significant deterioration of the security situation in the Donbas, partially as a result of the use of artillery and mortars as stated in the report of the OSCE Mission for the 29th of February, published on the 2nd of March 2016. In particular, the representatives of the OSCE Mission noted 95 explosions from the west of the observers’ location on the 28th of February during their stay in the center of Donetsk; the next day, 174 explosions were recorded.
According to the assessment of the OSCE Mission, these explosions were caused by the use of artillery and mortar salvos. At the same time, the OSCE Mission was unable to identify the type of weapons used in two explosions and two shell hits. OSCE observers also recorded 25-35 single shots and hundreds of bursts from light weapons, small and large-caliber machine guns, 30-mm cannons and automatic grenade launchers.
The firing occurred at a distance of 500 meters to 10 kilometers from the south, west, south-west, north, north-east and north-west from where the observers were staying. At the same time, during their stay in Svitlodarsk, which is under the control of the Government of Ukraine, OSCE observers recorded 54 undefined explosions and 50 single shots from light weapons within a distance of 4 kilometers south-east of their positions during the evening and overnight hours on the 28-29th of February.
In addition, the observers recorded 10 undefined explosions within a distance of eight kilometers from the north-west during their stay in occupied Debaltseve. Ceasefire violations also were recorded in Aleksandrovka (43 explosions and six bursts from 23-mm guns), in the Petrovsky district of Donetsk (21 explosions, 34 bursts and 50 single shots from light weapons), and in Marinka (23 explosions and 21 bursts of fire from light weapons and heavy machine guns at a distance of 1-2 kilometers to the north-east and 38 explosions and 15 shells from automatic grenade launchers within a distance of 3-6 kilometers from the north-east).
As previously reported, the intensity of shelling has increased dramatically over the weekend. The previous evening, servicemen reported 71 incidents of shelling, including shelling in the direction of Lugansk.