OSCE claims significant deterioration in situation in Donbas

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) has registered a significant deterioration in the security situation in the Donbas, including through the use of artillery and mortars.

As reported, observers have recorded a significant increase in cease-fire violations in the Donetsk region compared with the previous day, Censor.NET informs referring to OSCE website.

In particular, in the evening of Feb. 28 whilst in "DPR"-controlled Donetsk city centre, the SMM recorded 95 undetermined explosions west of its position. While positioned at the "DPR"-controlled Donetsk central railway station, Feb. 29, the SMM heard more than 174 explosions assessed as caused by artillery and mortar rounds and two undetermined blasts and impacts.

The mission also recorded hundreds of rounds fired from a range of weapons including small arms, light and heavy machine-guns, 30-mm cannons, and automatic grenade launchers from distances of 0.5-10 km from the south, west, south-south-west, north, north-north-east, and north-north-west of its position.

At the same time, during the evening and night hours of Feb. 28-29 whilst in government-controlled Svitlodarsk, the SMM recorded 54 undetermined explosions and 50 single shots of small arms 4 km south-east of its position.

Also, whilst 2 km north-west of "DPR"-controlled Debaltseve, on Feb. 29 the SMM heard ten undetermined explosions 8 km north-west of its position.

In "DPR"-controlled Oleksandrivka, the SMM recorded 43 undetermined explosions and six bursts of 23-mm cannon fire. Whilst near "DPR"-controlled Petrovskyi district (16 km south-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard 21 undetermined explosions and 34 bursts and 50 single shots of small arms. Over the course of two hours, whilst in government-controlled Marinka (23 km south-east of Donetsk), the SMM heard 23 undetermined explosions and 21 bursts of small-arms and heavy-machine-gun fire 1-2 km north-east and 38 undetermined explosions and 15 shots from an automatic grenade launcher 3-6 km north-east of its position.

In the vicinity of "DPR"-controlled Zaichenko, over a two-hour period the SMM recorded over 50 undetermined explosions and intensive firing from mortar, artillery, and small arms.