Militants fire over 70 mines towards Ukrainian troops – Colonel Lysenko

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Russia-backed militants decreased attacks over the last day but keep actively using heavy weapons. Combat actions continue in all sectors. Three servicemen were killed in action.

Kyiv, April 20, 2016. The number of attacks upon the positions of Ukrainian troops decreased in ATO zone over the last day. At the same time Russia-backed militants are actively using heavy weapons. According to the statistics each second one is a mortar and precision attack, said spokesman of Presidential Administration on ATO-related issues Colonel Andriy Lysenko at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “According to the statistics occupants, fired over 70 mines towards Ukrainian troops yesterday,” he noted.

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It was quiet in the Luhansk sector yesterday. In the Donetsk sector Ukrainian positions were attacked in the area of Horlivka, Verkhnyotoretske, Avdiivka and on the far-off access ways to the Donetsk airport. “There were a total of nine hostile attacks in the Donetsk sector over the last day, seven of them were mortar attacks,” noted Colonel Lysenko. He said the two hottest spots in the Mariupol sector were Maryinka and Shyrokyne. “Enemy was mostly firing after the sunset. There were a total of 14 hostile attacks in the Mariupol sector over the last day, four of them were mortar attacks,” said the ATO spokesman. Three Ukrainian servicemen were killed in action over the last day, five were wounded in action. Ukrainian troops incurred these losses in the Donetsk sector.

According to the military intelligence another Russian unit mostly staffed with natives of Dagestan and Chechnya arrived to the so-called “9th assault motor-rifle regiment of the naval infantry of the 1st army corps” of the “Donetsk People’s Republic” (“DPR”) militant group deployed to Novoazovsk. “Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry reported that militants again incurred losses over the last days: one fighter of the so-called “7th motor-rifle brigade of the 1st army corps” of the “Luhansk People’s Republic” (“LPR”) militant group deployed to Debaltseve was killed in action. Two more fighters were wounded,” noted the ATO spokesman.

According to the intelligence, the command of the combined Russian-and-militant troops plans to intensify combat actions closer to May 9 with a propagandist purpose. “Thus options of offensive actions in the Donetsk sector that are being considered include seizure of uncontrolled towns in the so-called ‘grey zone’ in the Mariupol sector,” said Andriy Lysenko.