Colonel Andriy Lysenko: Artillery shelling of the “Putylivska coal mine” position took place in the Donetsk sector on June 7

WATCH IN ENGLISH

Flashpoints remained the same, yet armistice held in some areas. Many wounded. Intelligence reports on troubles with financial support of militants.

Kyiv, June 8, 2016. Militants continue firing at Ukrainian positions. “Artillery shelling of our position at the [sic] ‘Putylivska coal mine’ took place in the Donetsk sector yesterday night, 18 artillery pieces were launched,” according to Colonel Andriy Lysenko, spokesman of the Presidential Administration on ATO related issues at Wednesday’s press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. Several militant mortar attacks took place along the entire frontline. “Traditionally, Zaitseve and Avdiivka remain the flashpoints where the adversary regularly shoots from all the weapons present in this area, with exception of rocket artillery,” said Col. Lysenko.

08-06_eng

The situation in other sectors remained restless in Svitlodarska bulge and other areas of Horlivka agglomerate. The armistice continues to hold in the Donetsk airport. In total, 17 militant attacks took place in the Donetsk sector yesterday, namely 10 mortar attacks and one artillery shelling.

Militants violated the ceasefire in the Luhansk sector in Popasna district once. Mortar attacks on Ukrainian positions took place in five frontline areas in the Mariupol sector simultaneously, Novotroitske, Vodiane, Lebedynske and Shyrokyne. Militant provocations are taking place along the entire frontline. “The total of 18 hostile attacks took place in the Mariupol sector yesterday, namely six mortar attacks,” said Col. Lysenko.

He added that Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred no losses in combat yesterday, however, seven government soldiers were wounded. One militant was killed in action and five were wounded yesterday. They were members of the so-called “10th separate motorized rifle regiment” (Makiivka) and “7th separate motorized rifle brigade” (Debaltseve).

According to the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, a further retention of wages was announced three days ago in so-called “2nd army corps” of self-proclaimed “Luhansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”). Wages for May are now due in July. Moreover, wages will reportedly be reduced by 25 percent. “This resulted in drastic increase of submitted requests for early termination of contract in so-called “6th separate motorized rifle regiment” (Stakhanov) and “7th separate motorized rifle brigade” (Debaltseve), which stand on frontline positions in Luhansk region,” added Col.  Lysenko.

In coordination with local police, Ukraine’s Security Service found a weapons cache in Bakhmut district of Donetsk region. The cache contained 18 TNT blocks, 13 RGD-5, as well as F-1 grenades and over four-thousand cartridges.