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OSCE reports intensified fighting around Donetsk airport and Shirokino

"The SMM observed a general engagement on the western side of the village, including tank fire, mortar shelling, small arms and machine gun fire," the report said

© EPA/ANASTASIA VLASOVA

VIENNA, April 21. /TASS/. Monitors of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) report aggravation of the situation around the Donetsk airport and the settlement of Shirokino.

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East Ukraine's militia claim Kiev forces intensify military action

"Fighting intensified around Donetsk airport and Shirokino," the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) said in its daily update for April 20 posted on its website on Tuesday. "The SMM observed military movements on both sides of the contact line."

The OSCE monitors said they had observed "sporadic fighting throughout the day" in Shirokino, with hostilities intensifying by the evening. "The SMM observed a general engagement on the western side of the village, including tank fire, mortar shelling, small arms and machine gun fire," the report said.

The SMM reported that fighting around Donetsk airport had intensified on Monday evening. "The SMM counted a large number of instances of heavy weapons use, including mortars, artillery and tank fire. The exchange continued into the evening," the report said.

Apart from that, the SMM said in its report that monitors "observed activities assessed to be fortification works in several government-controlled locations," including Novoakhtyrka, Kapitanovo, Severodonetsk and Putilino.

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