ATO Staff spokesman: Russia-backed militants use 120-mm mortars, violating Minsk agreements

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Kyiv, April 10, 2015. Situation in the ATO zone has escalated. Russia-backed militant groups fired at Ukrainian troops 21 times along the demarcation line from 6 pm until midnight. “Militants used 120-mm mortars 12 times, which stands as another blatant violation of the Minsk agreements. Additionally, they have shelled our positions near Avdiivka from 122-mm mortars,” said Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Danylenko, ATO Staff spokesman, via Skype at the press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

Militants focused their attacks at those Ukrainian positions in the Donetsk region, namely close to Avdiivka, Pisky, Opytne and Shyrokyne as well as in the areas of Pavlopil and Hnutove. Militants fired from tanks by Avdiivka and Pavlopil during the night. Ukrainian servicemen did not record any militant attacks at the residential from 6 pm until midnight.

The ATO spokesman also noted that the enemy has considerably intensified aerial reconnaissance. Ukrainian troops observed flights of militant UAVs near Shchastya, Bohdanivske, Shyrokyne, Mariupol, Slovyanoserbsk, Starobilsk, Lysychansk and Teple from 8 pm until 11 pm.