Kyiv, January 12, 2016. Over the last day illegal armed groups opened fire 35 times in ATO zone. Most cases of firing by militants were recorded in Donetsk area, informed Major Anton Myronovych, ATO spokesperson, via Skype at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “In particular, near Donetsk militants again used small arms, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns to fire at Pisky, Opytne, Avdiivka and Mariinka. Near Krasnohorivka an enemy’s sniper “worked” from the direction of occupied Staromykhailivka,” said ATO spokeperson.
Armed provocations by illegal armed groups continue near Horlivka. Using small arms, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns the militants tried to provoke Ukrainian military to open fire in response near Novhorodske, Zaitseve, and Mayorsk, said Anton Myronovych. It was recorded that near Svitlodarsk militants used heavy machine guns, and near Luhanske snipers fired. “Near Semyhirya a short skirmish took place, in which only small arms were used. The attackers were unmasked in time and were forced to retreat. On the border of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, near Troitske, Russia-backed mercenaries adjusted fire from the 82-m mortar,” noted Major Myronovych.
Besides, the situation aggravates slightly in Luhansk region. “Late in the evening the Russia-backed illegal organized groups fired at the strongholds of Ukrainian units with grenade launchers and 120-mm mortars, the use of which is prohibited by previous agreements on de-escalation of the conflict,” stressed Anton Myronovych.
The ATO headquarters spokesperson added that yesterday, about noon the Kremlin mercenaries fired with the same mortars at Vodyane which is located in the so-called “gray zone” near Mariupol. “They fired from occupied Kominternove. Since there are no our forces there, they did this in order to blame the attacks on ATO units,” said Major Myronovych.
Since the beginning of the day one case of firing at Ukrainian strongholds has been recorded. Militants again used automatic grenade launchers near Novhorodske. In general, over the last three days, militants more than 80 times violated agreements on resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine peacefully, concluded ATO headquarters spokesperson.
