DONETSK, March 4. /TASS/. The Ukrainian army’ conflict with the nationalist detachment Azov has resulted in a missile strike against the nationalists’ command center in the southwest of Mariupol, the deputy commander of the Donetsk People’s Republic’s militia, Eduard Basurin, told a news briefing on Friday.

"Contradictions between the Ukrainian army’s command and the nationalist groups have developed into a direct confrontation. After the commander of the operational tactical group East, Lieutenant General Sodol, suffered lethal wounds in a clash with Azov militants, who also refused to obey any orders from and coordinate operations with the Ukrainian army’s command the headquarters of the special purpose detachment Azov in the southwest of Mariupol was hit by the Ukrainian army’s missile Tochka-U," he said.

Basurin also said on the Rossiya-1 television channel that the Tochka-U missile, fired by the Ukrainian army, destroyed 10 vehicles and left 20 soldiers of the Azov detachment killed.

Earlier, Basurin said that according to DPR intelligence sources, General Sodol had suffered serious wounds due to uncoordinated actions by the regular army and Azov nationalists. The commander’s vehicle came under fire while passing a road block.