Ministry of Defense: Russia-backed militants use 122-mm artillery and heavy mortars

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Over the last day, Russia-backed militants made 35 attacks on Ukrainian troops’ positions in the combat zone in eastern Ukraine, 30 of which were precision attacks. Militants used 122-mm artillery systems and heavy mortars. “Three Ukrainian troops were wounded in action,” reported Ministry of Defense spokesman Colonel Dmytro Hutsulyak at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

In Luhansk sector, Russian proxies used heavy machine guns and grenade launchers in Katerynivka, Luhanske, and Svitlodarsk areas.

In Donetsk sector, militants delivered 32 attacks. Outside Shyrokyne and Lebedynske militants fired ten 122-mm artillery rounds and used 82-mm mortars in the latter case as well.

“The highest number of attacks on Ukrainian troops’ strongholds was recorded outside Vodiane. Militants opened fire nine times there, two of the attacks involved 120-mm mortars. The enemy fired a total of eight mortar rounds there,” Colonel Hutsulyak said.

Russia-backed militants delivered some more attacks using small arms, heavy machine guns, and grenade launchers in Avdiivka, Hnutove, Kamianka, Lebedynske, Nevelske, Opytne, Pavlopil, Pisky, Pishchevyk, Pervomaiske, Talakivka, Shyrokyne, and Shakhta Butovka areas.

Ukrainian troops returned fire in nine cases using the weapons not proscribed under the Minsk agreements.

Report on the military developments as of April 9 is available here. Interactive data on the shelling: chronology shelling chart and the interactive map.