Colonel Andriy Lysenko: Avdiivka industrial area is the central flashpoint, a 19-year-old dies in militants’ shelling

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Militants use heavy armor, mostly mortar launchers, large machine guns and APC. Electronic warfare continues in the Donetsk sector. Militants incur casualties both in combat and due to internal conflicts.

Kyiv, July 19, 2016. The past 24 hours in the ATO zone was distinguished for relative decrease in combat activity of Russia-backed militant groups. “Total number of hostile attacks went down, amounting to 54, comparing to 78 attacks the day before. Nevertheless, militants continue using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements, namely artillery, heavy mortar launchers and armored personnel carriers,” informed the spokesman of the Presidential Administration on ATO related issues Colonel Andriy Lysenko at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

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Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred no casualties in combat. According to the available information, six militants were killed and seven injured. So-called “11th separate motorized rifle regiment” (Makiivka) incurred the biggest loss in the vicinity of Avdiivka industrial area.

Militants shelled ATO troops’ position in the Donetsk sector 24 times in the past 24 hours, most attacks took place near Avdiivka. “Attacks continued day and night there regardless of the types of weapons used. Enemies launched almost 50 82-mm and 120-mm mortar shells at Ukrainian troops, repeatedly opening fire from grenade launchers and large machine guns. A civilian died as a result of hostile shelling of Avdiivka residential quarters. A 19-year-old young man was in the yard of his house located in the vicinity of active hostilities area,” informed the spokesman. He added that according to the the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, militants continue actively using electronic warfare equipment on the outskirts of Avdiivka, including R-330 “Zhytel”. Moreover, two flights of militants’ unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were registered west of Horlivka. Ukrainian military intelligence confirms use of multifunctional EW complex Rtut-BM in the same area. Apart from Avdiivka, Russia-backed militant groups violated the ceasefire near Zaitseve and Maiorsk, near Luhanske and at the Svitlodarsk bulge, conducting a 20-minute shelling from armored personnel carrier. Ukrainian positions in the vicinity of Novoselivka Druha were shelled from automatic grenade launchers. Strongholds near Donetsk airport were shelled from mortar launchers, grenade launchers and machine guns after 6:00 p.m.

Militants violated the armistice in the Luhansk sector in two spots of the demarcation line. Three mortar shells were launched at Ukrainian positions after midnight in Stanytsia Luhanska, followed by fire from grenade launchers and small arms. “Novozvanivka village near Popasna was the second area where Russia-backed militants were active. Enemy instigated five brief armed provocations there after the sunset,” said the spokesman.

The situation was the most restless in the Azov Sea area. “In Hnutove, Talakivka, Vodiane and Shyrokyne militants widely used machine guns. Ukrainian positions in Shyrokyne were shelled from artillery late at night. More than 10 12-mm missiles were launched,” informed Col. Lysenko. Moreover, Russian proxies launched 12 mortar shells at Ukrainian positions in Krasnohorivka at 1:00 a.m. Four hostile provocations involving use of small arms took place in Mariinka. Militants were shooting from grenade launchers and machine guns in Slavne, Novohryhorivka and Starohnativka. “In total, enemy violated the armistice 24 times in the Mariupol sector, one fourth of the incidents involved use of heavy weapons,” elaborated the spokesman.

Ukrainian military intelligence informs of an internal conflict between militants resulting in death of one of them. ”When sharing profit from selling fencing of children’s holiday camps for scrap, a militant from s-called 7th separate motorized rifle brigade (Debaltseve) was heavily stabbed and died soon after. Military intelligence established the militant’s identity. He turned out to be a 29-year-old Anatoliy Verovskyi,” said Col. Lysenko.