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Ukrainian military fire on DPR 524 times - spokesman

The republic’s reconnaissance fixed relocation of heavy artillery and equipment

DONETSK, February 5. /TASS/. The Ukrainian Armed Forces over the past day 524 times opened fire on cities and districts of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), the republic’s military spokesman Eduard Basurin said on Sunday.

"The situation in the Donetsk People’s Republic has a tendency towards stabilizing," the Donetsk News Agency quoted him. "Over the past 24 hours, the criminal Ukrainian forces 524 times opened fire on DPR. They used heavy artillery 25 times, mortars - 158 times, IFVs - 40 times, anti-aircraft guns, grenade launchers and small arms - 301 times."

The republic’s reconnaissance fixed relocation of heavy artillery and equipment.

The past few days have seen a surge in tensions along the engagement line. Bombardments by Ukrainian forces have caused civilian casualties and ruined many homes and infrastructures. The UN Security Council on Tuesday evening issued a special statement to express concern over what it said was "dangerous escalation. It urged both sides to cease fire immediately. The Security Council condemned the use of weapons outlawed by the Minsk Accords.

On February 1, the Contact Group for a settlement in the east of Ukraine met in session in Minsk to call for a ceasefire in Donbass and for pulling back all weapons and military equipment away from the engagement line by February 5.

In accordance with package of measures for the implementation of the Minsk Accords of February 12, 2015 all weapons having a caliber of 100 mm and more should be pulled back to points located 50 kilometers away from each other, multiple rocket launchers to areas 70 kilometers away, and multiple rocket launchers Tornado-S, Uragan and Smerch and Tochka missiles, to positions 140 kilometers away. Under an addendum to the package of measures all artillery pieces having a caliber of under 100 mm, tanks and mortars, including 120-mm mortars, are to be pulled back, too.

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