Colonel O. Motuzyanyk: ATO troops capture eight militants from so-called “9th separate marine assault motorized rifle regiment”

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Kyiv, June 23, 2016. ATO troops captured eight militants from so-called “9th separate marine assault motorized rifle regiment” (Novoazovsk) during combat patrolling in the vicinity of Vodiane. “The oldest prisoner is 49 and the youngest is 21 years old,” informed spokesman of the Presidential Administration on ATO related issues Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk at the press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

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Russia-backed militants shelled ATO troops’ positions 71 time in the past 24 hours. 46 attacks took place in the Mariupol sector, which is three times more than the previous day. Almost half of the attacks involved use of heavy armor – mortar launchers and cannons. Russian proxies launched almost 50 mortar shells and 40 artillery missiles near Shyrokine. Moreover, militants used artillery near Novotroitske, where they shelled ATO troops using grenade launchers of various systems and machine guns. “The situation was difficult in Mariinka where the adversary sued all the available weapons except artillery and tanks. Moreover, Russia-backed militants used small arms to shell a checkpoint, causing no casualties. Militants fired at ATO troops twice from mortar launchers on Krasnohorivka. A number of ceasefire violations took place along the frontline Chermalyk-Lebedynske,” elaborated the spokesman.

Russia-backed militant groups violated the armistice six times in the Luhansk sector. Five provocations out of these took place in the vicinity of Popasna and Bakhmut road and were random. The sixth attack near Sokilnyky village resulted in one Ukrainian serviceman wounded. “19 hostile attacks took place in the Donetsk sector. Avdiivka industrial area was the central flashpoint where the enemy actively used mortar launchers, grenade launchers and sniping weapons. Ukrainian troops were forced to respond with fire. Moreover, militants were active in the vicinity of the Donetsk airport where the enemy launched over 40 shells. Adversaries continue instigating provocations in the northern outskirts of Horlivka. One hostile provocation took place in the Svitlodarsk bulge involving use of grenade launchers and small arms, which lasted almost two hours,” said Col. Motuzyanyk.

Ukrainian troops registered three flights of militants’ unmanned aerial vehicles in the vicinity of ATO area yestereday. One Ukrainian serviceman died in combat of sniping fire in Avdiivka industrial area. Six troops were wounded: five in militants’ shelling and one as a result of tripping a mine near Starohnativka.

According to the spokesman, nine militants from four Russia-backed militant groups died and eight were wounded. Insurgents incurred the biggest losses in the vicinity of Shyrokyne.