LUGANSK, December 23. /TASS/. Units of the Ukrainian armed forces stationed in the town of Artyomovsk in the Donetsk People's Republic are equipping firing points on the roofs of residential buildings to operate air defense systems, Andrey Marochko, an officer of the People's Militia of the Lugansk People's Republic, told TASS on Friday, citing data from LPR intellligence.

According to him, the Ukrainian troops in Artyomovsk continue to prepare for combat operations in urban conditions. "Ukrainian units are using civilian infrastructure and residential buildings as armor caves. Air defense observation posts with MANPADs (man-portable air defense systems - TASS) are set up on the roofs of high-rise buildings," he said.

Marochko added that additional field hospitals were being deployed in the basements of the Kiev-controlled territory, food and ammunition were also being brought in.

Earlier, Marochko told TASS that the Ukrainian armed forces were preparing positions and fortifications in Artyomovsk for combat operations in urban conditions. According to him, the republic's intelligence service recorded "construction of fortifications and digging of trenches" by Ukrainian troops. The officer stressed that Ukrainian soldiers used civilians, including women, for this work.