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DPR: battles in Donbass have ended along the whole front line

MOSCOW, February 21. /TASS/. Battles in Donbass have ended along the whole front line, the spokesman for the Defence Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic /DPR/ told a briefing on Saturday.

"A tendency of lower activity of Ukrainian military can be observed along the whole line of contact," Eduard Basurin said. "Offensives have been stopped and only sporadic shelling of our positions can be registered. Provocative fire is registered to be opened in the areas of contact where the so-called volunteer battalions of [Ukraine’s] National Guard are stationed."

Basurin pointed out that rive alcohol abuse and absence of command were predominant there.

"According to our intelligence and local residents’ testimonies, excessive drinking and absence of any control can be seen there. Commanders of these punitive squads had left for Kiev to celebrate one year of Maidan and those who stayed are abusing alcohol and terrorising peaceful civilians," he said.

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Ukraine crisis Eastern Ukraine

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Larry Johnson also noted that the Russian forces manage to advance recently despite the slush on the roads