Colonel Andriy Lysenko: Militants launch over 20 mortar shells and 80 artillery missiles within 180 minutes in the Avdiivka industrial area

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Hostilities in the ATO zone continue in all sectors. The epicenter of hostilities in the Luhansk sector is in the Popasna area. Ukrainian troops defeat militants’ subversive reconnaissance group in the Mariupol sector.

Kyiv, August 1, 2016. Militants’ attacks continue along the entire front line in the ATO zone. One Ukrainian serviceman died in combat and six were injured. In the Donetsk sector, the day started with intense attacks from heavy armor organized by militants in the Avdiivka -Krasnohorivka frontline area. Militants launched over 20 mortar shells and 80 artillery missiles within 180 minutes at the Avdiivka industrial area. “Insurgents used 120-mm mortar launchers in addition to 122-mm and 152-mm cannons deployed in two different positions – in Yakovlivka and the Donetsk airport,” informed Col. Lysenko, spokesman of the Presidential Administration on ATO related issues, at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

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Following large-scale artillery preparation, firefights between Ukrainian troops and militants started at the demarcation line. They lasted till dawn and resumed again in the afternoon.
Moreover, strong mortar attacks delivered by Russian backed militant groups took place in Pisky and Krasnohorivka. The fire was rather dense, with militants launching an average of two mortar shells per hour at ATO troops’ positions. Active hostilities started near Horlivka and Donetsk in the afternoon. Russian proxies started shooting from mortar launchers after 4:00 p.m. The attack lasted till late night.  “In total, 37 hostile attacks took place in the Donetsk sector yesterday, 14 of which involved use of heavy armor,” added the spokesman.

The main hostilities in the Luhansk sector, as usual, occurred in the Popasna area. Militants repeatedly violated the armistice during the hours of darkness, actively using mortar launchers and armor. “Adversaries opened fire in Stanytsia Luhanska and shot from mortar launchers twice – in Krymske and Novotoshkivske. The absolute armistice in the frontline area held between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” said Col. Lysenko. In total, 13 militants’ attacks took place in the Luhansk sector yesterday; four of them involved use of mortar launchers.

Militants conducted 34 attacks in the Mariupol sector yesterday, seven of these from heavy armor. A number of mortar attacks took place between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. in the Mariinka area (Krasnohorivka-Mariinka frontline area). Hostilities resumed later in the afternoon. Three mortar attacks took place in Shyrokyne, and ATO troops defeated an assault of militants’ subversive reconnaissance group near Bohdanivka. “The fight lasted about 20 minutes and ended in our troops’ victory. In general, militants are violating ceasefire along the entire frontline, there are no calm areas in the Mariupol sector,” added the spokesman.

Militants organized two reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles’ flights in the Donetsk and Mariupol sectors. Three militants died yesterday and 10 were wounded. “The so-called “3rd” and “100th brigades and 11th regiment” of the Russian occupational troops incurred losses,” elaborated the spokesman.

According to the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, five militants – Russian citizens (with surnames Avdiushkin, Demiankov, Kaluhin, Kyparenko and Yamanov) lodged a complaint with Russian military prosecutor regarding the command of the so-called “9th regiment” (Novoazovsk). “These five occupants have been recently injured in combat in the Mariupol sector, but didn’t receive a penny for it, as their names weren’t listed in the corresponding orders and reports of the regiment commanding officer to his higher command. Their commanders likely pocketed the money,” said Col. Lysenko.