Ukraine continues to record presence of tanks and heavy weapons in separatist-held territory
Ukraine detected and recorded the daily presence of separatist tanks and cannons within the southeastern security zone. One of Ukraine’s negotiators, Yevhen Marchuk, published the information on Facebook as part of excerpts from a meeting where preparations were being made for the recent talks in Minsk.
Ostensibly, in the period from August 1st to 25th, enemy tanks and artillery systems of less than 100mm in caliber were not detected in the 15-kilometer zone. However, heavier weaponry rated at greater that 100mm in caliber was detected daily within a 25-km zone. More than a hundred BM-21 Grad MLRS units were detected in the vicinity of different towns of the Donbas region, as well as 4 units of 300mm Smerch MLRS in Miusynsk.
During that same period, DPR (Donetsk People's Republic) and LPR (Luhansk People's Republic) forces violated the ceasefire 1,386 times, during which at least 675 occasions involved the use of arms that should have been withdrawn according to the Minsk agreement.