Kyiv, 12 January 2015 – “The number of times terrorists fire in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone is increasing. Starting from 18:00 yesterday evening illegal armed groups fired 22 times at the positions of our military including from heavy weapons,” reported Leonyd Matyukhin, ATO spokesman via Skype at a briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. The Donetsk airport and the localities nearby remain areas of the highest tension. Yesterday evening there was an engagement between the militants and the defenders of the airport’s new terminal.
At the Donetsk direction terrorists fired with mortars at the air control tower of the Donetsk airport and at Avdiivka. “Militants also fired with mortars, artillery and Grad multiple rocket launcher systems at Tonenke, Pisky and Opytne, with anti-tank guided missiles at Hranitne,” added the ATO spokesman.
At other directions illegal armed groups shelled with mortars Vuhlehirsk, Leninske and Hnutove localities, with artillery systems outskirts of Nikishyne, with Grad Odradivka and twice Hnutove. “Ukrainian servicemen firmly control the situation and as the need arises return fire to neutralize most active firing points of the enemy. The enemy is suffering losses. Illegal armed groups fired at the positions of our military a total of 63 times in the last day. It is worth noting that starting from approximately 1 am and till the morning silence was observed in the ATO zone – no shots were fired within these several hours,” explained Leonyd Matyukhin.
