Ministry of Defense: Russian proxies commit 59 ceasefire violations

WATCH IN ENGLISH

Russia-backed militants violated the ceasefire 59 times in eastern Ukraine yesterday. Overall, they fired over seventy 120-mm and over one hundred 82-mm mortar rounds at Ukrainian positions, reported Ministry of Defense spokesman Colonel Dmytro Hutsulyak at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

In Luhansk sector, Russian proxies delivered 17 attacks.  Between 10:00 and 19:00, they opened fire ten times in Luhanske area using mortars, IFV mounted weapons and heavy machine guns. The militants employed 120-mm mortars nine times: four times near Luhanske, three times in Svitlodarsk area, and twice near Troitske.  Overall, they fired fifty-nine 120-mm mortar rounds over the last day. Moreover, Russia-backed militants used 82-mm mortars five times near Luhanske, and once in Svitlodarsk area, having fired a total of 80 mortar rounds. “Ukrainian troops’ positions near Novoluhanske and Novohorodske came under the fire of hostile grenade launchers and heavy machine guns,” Colonel Hutsulyak added.

In Donetsk sector, the militants violated the ceasefire 42 times. “The enemy was the most active near Vodiane, Kamianka, and Shakhta Butovka,” noted Ministry of Defense spokesman. The militants used 120-mm mortars near Novotroitske, Lebedynske, and Pavlopil, having fired a total of 13 mortar rounds. In Avdiivka, Berezove, Verhniotoretske, Vodiane, Hnutove, Kamianka, Slavne, Lebedynske, Novotroitske, Pavlopil, Pisky, Pishchevyk, Shyrokyne, and Shakhta Butovka areas Russian proxies employed small arms, heavy machine guns, and grenade launchers.

Ukrainian troops had to return fire 24 times over the last day.

Unfortunately, one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in action, and one more injured.

Report on the military developments as of April 15 is available here. Interactive data on the shelling: chronology shelling chart and the interactive map.