The Secretary of the National Defence and Security Council Oleksandr Turchynov says Russia's General Staff uses the occupied territory of Donbass as a testing ground for new weaponry.
"In July, they used against our military the new Russian mortar systems KM-8 Gran with controlled 120mm mines and portable means of automated fire control Malachite," Turchynov said as quoted by his press office.
The complex is operated solely by professional servicemen of the Armed Forces of Russian Federation, Turchynov reminded.
Mortar complex KM-8 Gran is intended for the destruction and damaging of individual and group targets, armoured targets and fortifications from the first strike without additional adjustment.
"The complex uses a 120-mm-controlled mine (length 1200 mm, weight - 27 kg), which is equipped with laser homing head," said Turchynov. The complex of automated fire control Malachite is equipped with laser range finder-designator and thermal imaging sight that allows accurate fire in rough terrain.
In addition, Turchynov warned that the Russian Federation uses a new drone Inspector – 601, intended for performing combat, reconnaissance and special missions, the electronic combat complex Shipovnik -Aero and multifunctional electronic combat complex Rtut-BM, as well as the state-of the-art laser location and optical-electronic warfare devices.
"It is an established fact that Russian occupation troops use ammunition with enhanced combat characteristics prohibited under international conventions," Turchynov said. He cited the example of 122 mm howitzer shells ZSH Lepestok-2 with arrow-like striking elements and personnel casualty circle at 500 m, etc.
Turchynov insisted that the Armed Forces of Ukraine should be provided with modern weaponry that is at least as effective as Russia's. Meanwhile, the funding of defense order from the national budget remains blocked because the parliament has not yet taken a decision on the filling of the special defence fund.
Earlier, three Ukrainian border guards were injured by a laser weapon.