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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Donbas militia detain members of sabotage and reconnaissance group

The detained suspects had arms and ammunition, devices to access topographic maps and adjusting artillery fire

A militia fighter in east Ukraine Mikhail Sokolov/TASS

A militia fighter in east Ukraine

© Mikhail Sokolov/TASS

MOSCOW, August 19. /TASS/. The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) security service detained a sabotage and reconnaissance group in the suburbs of Donetsk, Donetsk News Agency reported on Wednesday quoting DPR defense ministry.

"Overnight to August 19, the military office number 8 and a separate commandant’s regiment detained artillery fire adjusters - local residents from the Yasnoye settlement - near the Yasnoye settlement 16 kilometers from Donetsk," the report said.

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The detained suspects had arms and ammunition, devices to access topographic maps and adjusting artillery fire. The DPR defense ministry said investigation is underway.

DPR defense ministry spokesman Eduard Basurin said on Sunday that security officers of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic frustrated a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group. "A Ukrainian sabotage party was frustrated in a special operation of the DPR state security ministry on August 13. As a result, three Ukrainian militants were killed, one was detained," the Donetsk News Agency quoted him as saying. "No further details can be disclosed in the interests of the investigation."

He said however that the detained Ukrainian officer "has information about an offensive the Ukrainian army command is planning against the Donetsk and Luhansk republics." Basurin added that DPR security services had exposed 11 such groups tasked to abduct DPR servicemen to later use them in fake reports about detention of Russian servicemen.

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Eastern Ukraine

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