Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine’s east have experienced deadly clashes between the pro-Russians and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations in April a year ago to silence the pro-Russians there. Rebels blamed the Ukrainian military, saying the attacks had killed a civilian, destroyed buildings and started a string of fires.
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Global observers have raised concern over “a serious increase in tension” in Donetsk.
Rebel officials say this is the first time Donetsk’s city center has experiences attack since February, when a fragile ceasefire took effect.
Forces in the eastern Donetsk and Lughansk regions – collectively called the Donbass – said they were moving tanks and other armoured vehicles with weapons of less than four-inch calibre back two miles from the front line with Kiev coup regime forces. Independent experts echo that accusation. This followed Russia’s annexation of the Crimea peninsula.
Earlier Saturday, another person died and three were injured in a massive fire in the central part of the city, DAN reported.
Senior rebel commander Eduard Basurin denied separatists were responsible for the attacks.
“I have no explanation. Do you believe we can shell ourselves?” he added.
Military spokesman Serhiy Galushko said the army had intercepted rebel radio traffic that also suggested separatists planned to shell the city.
“Earlier, Sergey Kozlov, the head of the Staff of the Lugansk People’s Militia said: “[We are] demonstrating the adherence to the Minsk agreements, [and] we are taking this step openly and unilaterally, hoping that as a result the same will be done in response by the Ukrainian side”.
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In a BBC interview, OSCE deputy chief monitor Alexander Hug confirmed that “there was a serious increase in tension yesterday (Saturday) evening and night”.
