"The situation remained tense in and around Kominternove (23km north-east of Mariupol). While in the village, the SMM heard 12 undetermined explosions between 10:21 and 10:30hrs in an area south and south-west of its position," the OSCE SMM said in an update on Tuesday, January 19, based on information received as of 19:30 local time on January 18.
The SMM spoke with several local residents who stated that between 16:00 and 17:00hrs on January 17 shelling had occurred on the western edges of Kominternove. According to them, one house on Akhmatova Street had been damaged and one civilian had been injured.
A "Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR") member present corroborated the information, adding that the injured man had been taken to hospital in Novoazovsk ("DPR"-controlled, 40km east of Mariupol) for treatment.
"He denied the SMM access to the damaged house to conduct crater analysis, citing security reasons," the OSCE SMM said.
At the hospital in Novoazovsk, the doctor told the SMM that the injured person from Kominternove had been wounded by shrapnel.
At a government-controlled checkpoint near Kominternove, the SMM saw the remnants of an anti-tank missile (100mm, probably a Fagot) that had hit a fortification block and impacts on the asphalt that were consistent with automatic grenade launcher fire (40mm), but could not ascertain the direction of fire. Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel at the checkpoint told the SMM that that their positions had come under fire on January 17, at around 16:00hrs.
At a "DPR" checkpoint near Kominternove, the SMM saw impacts on the asphalt that were consistent with automatic grenade launcher fire from a westerly direction. "DPR" members told the SMM that their position had come under fire on January 17 at around 16:00hrs.
