DONETSK, August 1. /TASS/: Four militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) were killed in the Ukrainian armed forces’ shelling on Friday, the DPR Defense Ministry reported on Saturday.
"The Ukrainian army opened fire in the area of the settlement of Petrovskoye yesterday evening. One DPR fighter was wounded. The ambulance vehicle that was sent to evacuate him was also attacked," the statement says.
The Contact Group on settling the situation in eastern Ukraine introduced additional measures that have been in effect since July 27, 2020 to control the ceasefire in Donbass.
Under the agreement, the conflicting parties in Donbass are prohibited from carrying out offensive, reconnaissance and subversive operations, using any types of aircraft, opening fire or deploying heavy weapons in populated localities. One of the key provisions is the use of disciplinary measures for ceasefire violations. Furthermore, any retaliatory fire in the event of an offensive is allowed only after a commander's direct order.
Despite these accords, the situation in Donbass has worsened since late February. Intensive exchanges of gunfire re-ignited on the engagement line, resulting in casualties on both sides. Kiev pins the blame on the Donbass republics for the escalation. In return, the Donbass republics castigated Ukraine’s accusations, pointing to Kiev breaching the July accords as the main cause for the escalation.
