Ministry of Defense: Militants use mortars near Avdiivka

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One Ukrainian serviceman was wounded and no casualties. However, militants continue to violate the armistice.

The situation in the Donetsk sector in the ATO zone remains unchanged. Same as before, militants’ main activity takes place in the vicinity of Avdiivka, where they used mortar launchers. One Ukrainian serviceman was wounded there. Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred no fatal casualties in combat, informed the spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on ATO related issues Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

Russia-backed militant groups also shot from mortar launchers and light weapons in Verkhniotoretske – Novoselivka Druha frontline area.  “Occupants violated the armistice at the Svitlodarsk bulge, near Horlivka and in the Donetsk airport.  For instance, hostile snipers were active in Troitske and Kamianka, and militants were shooting at Butovka coal mine position from armored personnel carrier, added the spokesman.

Militants continue active shooting attacks at Ukrainian positions virtually along the entire frontline, sporadically using heavy armor. “Russian proxies launched at least 27 mortar shells at our positions.  The biggest number of armed provocations took place in Krasnohorivka, Novotroitske, Hnutove and Vodiane. Same as before, militants start shooting about dawn, and their activity escalates towards evening,” said Col. Motuzyanyk.

Militants conducted four shooting attacks involving use of machine guns and grenade launchers in the Luhansk sector yesterday.  “All of these took place in the Popasna area. One happened in the morning, and the other in the evening,  before 9 and 11 p.m.,” said the spokesman. The ceasefire held in the frontline area between the Russian border and Zolote yesterday.

Report on the military developments as of February 12 is available here. Interactive data on the shelling: chronology shelling chart and the interactive map.