OSCE says spots 22 rocket launching systems in separatist-held parts of Donbas

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) say they have spotted 22 multiple rocket launchers BM-21 Grads in the eastern separatist-held region of Ukraine.

According to SMM’s report for the media and the general public, 22 multiple launch rocket system BM-21 Grads were spotted near Khrustalnyi at non-government-controlled area on 22 December.

Also, SMM noted that rocket launching systems were spotted beyond the withdrawal lines but outside designated storage sites.

In addition, 14 self-propelled howitzers (2S1), 10 towed howitzers (nine D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm and one 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm) and four MLRS remained missing at a heavy weapons permanent storage site in a non-government-controlled area of Luhansk region, the monitors said.

A shaky ceasefire between Ukraine and the region’s pro-Russian separatists is regularly violated.

Fighting between Ukrainian government forces and the separatists in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions has killed more than 10,000 people since mid-April 2014. Russia denies Western and Kiev’s charges of direct involvement in the conflict.