Kyiv, 15 January 2015 – “The situation in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone and in the adjacent areas remains tense. It results from regular silence mode violations by militants. Terrorists used small arms, tanks, mortars, artillery and Grad multiple rocket launchers numerous times. Ukrainian military repelled all attacks,” reported Colonel Andriy Lysenko, ATO spokesman at a briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. In the last day the number of provocative firing at the ATO positions at the Donetsk, Mariupol and Luhansk directions has increased. Highest tension is being observed at the Donetsk airport.
On the occupied territories of Donbas in particular in Horlivka, Snizhne and Krasnodon increased presence of the Russian Federation Armed Forces is being observed, they engage in combat against the ATO forces as well as train local militants. Illegal armed groups are receiving more military equipment, artillery and anti-tank systems that only the Russian Federation Armed Forces possess. In the last days considerable number of munitions was delivered from the territory of the Russian Federation including munitions for Grad and Uragan multiple rocket launchers, tanks, howitzers and small arms of various calibers.
In the last day 2 Ukrainian servicemen were killed in action, 6 got wounded. “The Day of mourning for those murdered by terrorists has been established today with a President’s decree to commemorate the victims killed when militants shelled a civilian bus near Volnovakha. Condolences to the families of victims and to all Ukrainians have been expressed by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, President of France François Hollande, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Prime Minister of Estonia Taavi Rõivas, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Poland and many others,” informed Colonel Lysenko at the briefing.
