Main news of Donbas: A strong explosion was heard in Donetsk at night, the militants use weapons, banned by the Minsk agreement

No one of Ukrainian militaries perished, 5 servicemen were wounded on May 23/24, as Oleksandr Motuzianyk, ATO spokesman of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine, informed.

According to his words, the intensity of firings from the militants’ side had decreased slightly in the previous several days. Still the militants continue using weapons which were banned by the Minsk agreements against Ukrainian militaries.

On May 23/24 illegal armed formations shelled ATO positions from tanks twice, from 120 mm mortars 8 times, and from 122 mm artillery 6 times; they also used anti-aircraft machine guns, grenade launchers, small arms, armored personnel carriers. At 3 p.m. on May 24 a serviceman of the “Donbas” Battalion, which is now located on the front line in the village of Shyrokyne (the Donetsk region), was killed. Another serviceman was wounded.

The majority of cases of ceasefire violations in the direction of Donetsk were observed in the vicinity of Horlivka, the Donetsk Airport and Starohnativka. Near the village of Leninske (Dzerzhynsk area) there was a clash between the militants and Ukrainian militaries.

A strong explosion was heard in Kirovsky district of Donetsk. As Leninsky district inhabitants report, a lot of windows in neighbouring houses were broken. A huge pillar of smoke rose in the vicinity of the terricone near the “Shakhtar” Stadium. The local inhabitants also report that they heard a loud bang at Donetsk metallurgical plant and smoke is rising above it.

Local activists said on Slovyansk (the Donetsk region) main square on May 24 that they were going to propose their candidates for the vacant positions in the City Council. According to their words they will be an alternative to non-local or local candidates who had discredited themselves in public eyes. Otherwise, the activists predict intensification of the conflict. 
On May 22 the session of Slovyansk City Council failed. There was a clash between the deputies and activists.

Vyacheslav Abroskyn, head of Donetsk Regional Department of Internal Affairs thinks that shelling of Avdiivka Coke Plant from the militants’ side is a part of their new blackmail scheme, where they will demand money in return for peace and quiet in the town.

“More than 70 shells hit the plant territory in two days. There are not any military units near the plant. If there had been any, the massive shelling of this very area could have been explained. We can observe the following scheme – the militants have run out of money and now they want to blackmail the plant workers:  ”money in return for life without firings.” People, Avdiivka inhabitants, who support the town suffer because of their outrageous lawlessness,” Abroskyn thinks.

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