Ukraine: Heavy artillery fire heard in Donetsk ahead of local elections on this Sunday
Fighting flared up early Saturday at the airport north of Donetsk as the east Ukrainian city is getting ready for Sunday’s elections, a RIA Novosti correspondent says.
Artillery fire can also be heard in downtown Donetsk, our correspondent says. The Donetsk administration confirmed that “fierce heavy artillery fire and blasts are heard” across the entire city, though, it added, that fighting had not disrupted transport. It also described the previous night as “a relatively calm” one.
But clashes between pro-government troops and local militias are just a backdrop to the upcoming polls in the breakaway Donetsk and Luhansk regions. According to our correspondent in the city of Donetsk, preparations in the city are in full swing. Organizers are furnishing polling stations and setting up polling booths, some stations still need to have window panes put in after they were shattered by the continuing cannonade.