ATO Staff: Ukrainian troops withdrew 12 mortar launchers below 100mm to designated areas yesterday

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Kyiv, October 16, 2015. Ukrainian troops withdrew 12 mortar launchers below 100mm to the designated areas yesterday. “Weapons withdrawal will continue today, monitored by the OSCE mission,” said ATO Staff spokesperson captain Leonid Matyukhin via Skype at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

Militants went beyond the scale of their recent provocations and opened fire on Ukrainian positions using under-barrel grenade launchers and grenade machine guns south of Avdiivka. “There are two wounded and one dead among out troops,” added the ATO Staff spokesperson.

Captain Matyukhin said no violations of the Minsk Accords took place in the ATO zone yesterday, which provided an opportunity to continue development of defensive positions and preparation of weapons for their withdrawal from the frontline.

Civil and military subdivisions are continuing their joint activities on renewing infrastructure in Donbas. According to Captain Matyukhin, repair operations are continuing at the Mariinka-Krasnohorivka section of the trunk-gas pipeline. An electric power line near Verkhniotoretske in Yasynuvata district is being renewed. The remains of three Ukrainian troops were wound during search activities on the territory of Donetsk airport. They were sent for DNA analysis for identification.

According to the ATO Staff spokesperson, problems with central water supply on the temporarily occupied territories are sparking public displeasure. There is a water supply shortage in the city of Luhansk that is controlled by the self-proclaimed ‘Luhansk People’s Republic’. In order to “solve” problem, utility enterprises cut satellite towns off from water supply. Captain Matyukhin emphasized that if water supply is not resumed, pipes and sewerage systems may freeze.  There also is a problem with restoration of residential quarters in inhabited localities controlled by the self-proclaimed ‘Donetsk People’s Republic’ (DPR).  “Houses are not being rebuilt, windows are not fitted with new glass and people who fled to Ukrainian and Russian territory are not hurrying back. Moreover, local inhabitants continue fleeing their homes, fearing communal services will soon collapse. People express their anger, accusing the ‘DPR’ authorities of embezzlement of funds that Russia presumably allocated to restore the town, added Captain Matyukhin.