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Kiev forces accused of violating ceasefire 21 times over 24 hours in Donbas

The Kiev forces fired 10 artillery shells, 10 tank shells and 41 mines of 82mm and 120mm caliber

MOSCOW, July 29. /TASS/. The Ukrainian forces have shelled the territory of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) 21 times over the last 24 hours, including from heavy weaponry, DPR defense ministry said on Wednesday.

"The situation in the Donetsk People’s Republic remains complicated. The Ukrainian side shelled the territory of the republic 21 times over the last 24 hours, the enemy continues using artillery," the Donetsk News Agency quoted DPR defense ministry as saying.

The Kiev forces fired 10 artillery shells, 10 tank shells and 41 mines of 82mm and 120mm caliber. They also used grenade launchers and small arms, the defense ministry noted.

The settlement of Zaytsevo came under the most intensive shelling, while the Ukrainian forces also shelled Donetsk (Petrovsky district, Abakumov mine and airport), Yasinovataya, Gorlovka and settlements of Kalinovka, Nikolayevka, Sakhanka and Spartak.

Weaponry withdrawal

On July 18, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics (DPR and LPR) announced their plans to unilaterally withdraw heavy weaponry from the contact line.

DPR announced last week that it completed the withdrawal of weaponry of less than 100mm caliber from the contact line, leaving tanks only in "hot spots" to the north of Donetsk and in Debaltsevo. LPR also completed the withdrawal of weaponry from the contact line, leaving tanks and armored vehicles only on positions near the Schastye settlement.

On July 21, the Contact Group on Ukrainian settlement reached an agreement on gradual withdrawal of weaponry of less than 100mm caliber by both sides.