ATO Commander Bessarab bans retaliation artillery strikes, - volunteer Deineha

As reported by Censor.NET, this was said in a comment to Hromadske Radio by SaveLife project volunteer Vitalii Deineha, who has recently returned from Avdiivka where militants stepped up attacks.

"The new ATO Commander Gen. Bessarab prohibits artillery fire in response to the shell attacks committed by the militants, who have blatantly pulled their guns and hit any targets they want. Even local babushkas who participated in the ill-famed referendum are bagging to hit the separatists as hard as possible because they cannot take it anymore. There are wounded among the locals as the separatists' strikes are far from accurate and shells often hit residential neighborhoods with peaceful residents.

Read more: Two powerful terrorists' artillery attacks at Avdiivka reported. Civilian houses caught fire, - ATO press service

"They fired 300 rounds Friday night. Such heavy strikes over one night were not committed even last summer, when fierce battles took place. If we had destroyed their firing points with our artillery they would have fired some 40 rounds instead of 300. But the militants know that we will not retaliate, so they keep shelling," Deineha said.