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Gas pipeline, cafe damaged in shellings in Donetsk — city administration

"After an explosive object hit, roof and floor were destroyed on an area of 2,500 meters in the Dilyara cafe," the press service of Donetsk city administration said

KIEV, May 6. /TASS/. Ukrainian forces shelled Donetsk late on May 5, destroying a gas pipeline and a cafe building, the press service of Donetsk city administration said on Wednesday.

"After an explosive object hit, roof and floor were destroyed on an area of 2,500 meters in the Dilyara cafe on Marshal Zhukov Street. A shell also damaged a gas pipeline on Signalnaya Street," the press service said.

The situation is calm in the morning of May 6, the Donetsk city administration said. "No sounds of heavy weapons are heard. There are no reports from residents on any incidents," the administration added.

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) emergencies ministry confirmed the information about shellings. The ministry said the cafe was completely destroyed by fire.

The DPR emergencies ministry’s press service said that around 300 explosive objects were found near Lisichanskaya, including 105 artillery shells of 152mm, 14 of 125mm and 20 mines for a 120mm mortar. Explosive objects were also found near Khartsyzsk, Debaltsevo and Gorlovka.

Ceasefire in eastern Ukraine is one of the key point of the Minsk agreements on the Ukrainian settlement. Other points include heavy weaponry withdrawal, prisoner exchange, local elections in Donbass and constitutional reform in Ukraine.

The Minsk accords were signed on February 12, after negotiations in the so-called "Normandy format" in the Belarusian capital Minsk, bringing together Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The talks lasted for around 14 hours. Simultaneously, a meeting of the Contact Group on Ukrainian settlement was held in Minsk.

The Ukrainian forces and the self-defense forces of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics have repeatedly accused each other of violating ceasefire and other points of the Minsk agreements.