ATO Staff Spokesperson: Militants violated armistice 187 times over the past two days

Kyiv, July 31, 2015. Russia-backed militants violated the ceasefire 187 times between July 29 and July 30. Militants used artillery 16 times, mortars 57 times, tanks and armored personnel carriers 13 times and used small arms and grenade launchers 118 times. ATO Staff spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Anatoliy Stelmakh provided this information via Skype during a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “Areas around Donetsk and Artemivsk remain the most complicated. Russia-backed militant groups repeatedly fire at Vodyane, Opytne, Pisky, Mayorsk and Luhanske, using 120mm mortars and 122mm and 152mm artillery,” said Lt. Col. Stelmakh.

According to Lt. Col. Stelmakh, Russia recruits people from Crimea to fight in the ranks of pro-Russian militant groups. “Former special forces and law enforcement officers are the priority of military enlistment offices in Crimea. Moreover, Russian command is taking measures to make identification of Russian servicemen impossible, should they be captured,” said Lt. Col. Stelmakh.