Ukrainian Forces Shell Settlements in Southeastern Donetsk Region – DPR

A DPR representative said that Ukrainian forces have shelled the northern suburbs of the city of Donetsk in the southeast of the country, as well as settlements in the south of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.

DONETSK (Sputnik) – Ukrainian forces have shelled the northern suburbs of the city of Donetsk in the southeast of the country, as well as settlements in the south of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), a DPR representative told journalists on Thursday.

According to the representative, the shelling was registered late on Wednesday.

"During shelling, 120 and 82 millimeter caliber mortars were used," the DPR representative said.

Kiev launched a special military operation in Ukraine’s southeast in April 2014, after local residents refused to recognize the new Ukrainian authorities, which came to power as a result of a coup.

After independence referendums held in May 2014, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics (DPR and LPR) were established.

In February 2015, a peace agreement was signed between Ukraine’s conflicting sides in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. The deal stipulates a full ceasefire, a weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, an all-for-all prisoner exchange and constitutional reforms, which would give a special status to DPR and LPR.