The situation in the Donetsk direction tends to aggravate. For several days the Ukrainian side has been preparing to conduct a large-scale provocation aimed at justifying Kiev’s failure to fulfill its obligations under the Minsk Agreements and their disruption of the elections to local authorities. Kiev ignores requests of A.Merkel and F.Hollande, but listens to the assurances of support from Washington representatives.

According to our intelligence, the day before over 30 artillery systems, tanks and mortars were delivered to the fighting positions of the 58th separate mechanized infantry and the 128th separate mountain infantry brigades of the AFU. Today we have discovered a downed Ukrainian drone that was spotting the artillery fire on civilians.

In addition, the OSCE mission documented, in its report of July 18, the absence of 33 anti-tank cannons, 33 tanks and 12 mortars in the sites of withdrawal. Moreover, the observers documented the presence of ten 220mm MLRS BM-27 «Uragan» in the areas adjacent to the lines of weapons withdrawal. We previously stated about Kiev’s preparation of provocations.

Today, in the daytime, at 18.25, the Kievsky and Kuibyshevsky districts of Donetsk were intensively shelled with 122mm artillery and 82 and 120mm mortars, from the direction of the locality of Avdeevka. The enemy launched more than twenty 122mm artillery projectiles and fifty mortar shells.

The destruction of residential households are documented in the streets Avtostradnaya, Signalnaya, Stratonavtov, Vzlyotnaya, Yershova, Rabfakovskoy and in the locality of October.

The Ukrainian side is again purposefully shelling the civilian population with weapons which, according to the Minsk Agreements, must stay in the sites of withdrawal.

Bellicose statements are sounded by the Ukrainian authorities. Further aggravation is possible, with the massive use of heavy artillery on peaceful localities. We warn residents of the DPR border localities of impending danger, asking them to immediately take refuge in shelters in case of shelling.

The military and political authorities of Ukraine continue to pursue a policy of disrupting the Minsk Agreements, following the instructions of their Western patrons and conducting provocative bombardments of the DPR People’s Militia positions and the civilian population of Donbass.

We once again appeal to the international mediators, human rights organizations, the international community and the OSCE SMM with a request to influence the military and political authorities of Ukraine and to restore peaceful life in Donbass, to stop the genocide and bloody war crimes. We are committed to a peaceful solution to the conflict. But criminals from Kiev again and again, with impunity, provoke us to a harsh response.