The Donetsk Peoples’ Republic (DPR) is requesting additional “allied forces” to help in its fight against Kiev forces, the head of the breakaway republic, Denis Pushilin, said on Monday in a video address. The move comes amid heavy artillery shelling by Ukrainian forces of residential areas in Donetsk and other locations across the republic.

“The enemy has literally crossed all lines. Prohibited methods of warfare are being used. The residential areas and the central districts of the city of Donetsk are under artillery shelling, other cities and towns of the DPR are also under fire,” Pushilin stated.

Therefore, the republic is requesting Russia to deploy additional forces to help in the ongoing conflict, the official stated. “An understanding was reached that all the necessary additional forces of the allied troops, primarily of Russia, will be deployed,” he said.

Donetsk, as well as other locations across the DPR, have been subjected to heavy rocket and artillery attacks by the Ukrainian military over the past few days. The shelling became particularly massive on Monday, with dozens of hits registered by local authorities across the city.

Russia attacked the neighboring state in late February, following Ukraine’s failure to implement the terms of the Minsk agreements, first signed in 2014, and Moscow’s eventual recognition of the Donbass republics of Donetsk and Lugansk. The German- and French-brokered protocols were designed to give the breakaway regions special status within the Ukrainian state.

The Kremlin has since demanded that Ukraine officially declare itself a neutral country that will never join the US-led NATO military bloc. Kiev insists the Russian offensive was completely unprovoked and has denied claims it was planning to retake the two republics by force.