MOSCOW, February 26. /TASS/. The Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) has intelligence about the Ukrainian army’s plans to attack settlements controlled by Kiev with Grad multiple rocket launchers, DPR Head Denis Pushilin told RBC on Saturday.

"Alarming information is coming from the DPR intelligence agency that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have received orders to attack settlements still controlled by Kiev with Grad systems and other heavy weapons. I’m talking about Kramatorsk, Slavyansk and Artemovsk," Pushilin said.

According to him, "the situation along the line of contact remains difficult and tense as our forces taking part in a counteroffensive operation have to overcome the layered defenses that took the Ukrainian Armed Forces years to set up, which is not always easy." However, in Pushilin’s words, "certain success has been achieved in terms of troop advance in the southern direction" and towards the city of Mariupol.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the recognition of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics. The treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders. On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation based on a request from the heads of the Donbass republics. The Russian leader stressed that Moscow had no plans to occupy Ukrainian territories.