Militants make two Grad attacks near Donestk airport – Colonel Lysenko

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Kyiv, February 17, 2016. Situation in the eastern Ukraine keeps escalating. Militants made two attacks from “Grad” systems in the Donetsk airport area yesterday. “Over 20 rockets were launched. It was discovered that they were fired from the occupied town of  Staromykhailivka,” said Colonel Andriy Lysenko, spokesman of Presidential Administration on ATO-related issues at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. He added that a series of attacks also took place at the Svitlodarsk salient and in the area of Horlivka, however heavy weapons were not used there.

In the Luhansk sector militants violated ceasefire twice near Krymske village located north of the Bakhmutska road using mortars and grenade launchers. One mortar attack was made in the area of temporarily occupied Pervomaysk. “Ukrainian intelligence discovered that the Russian Federation Armed Forces shelled residential areas of Luhansk with artillery yesterday. The attack was made from the nearby city of Oleksandrivsk that is also controlled by the enemy,” stated Colonel Lysenko.

Maryinka and Krasnohorivka remain the hotspots of the Mariupol sector. “Militant groups are using mortars in a sporadic manner. Over six dozens of mortar mines were launched upon Ukrainian positions in this area,” noted ATO spokesman. He added that intense mortar attacks took place in the area of Chermalyk, Lebedynske and Shyrokyne.

Ukrainian troops incurred no fatalities over the last day, one serviceman was wounded in action in Opytne. “In addition to that one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in a mine blast. He was moving in a truck that hit an antitank TM-62 mine near Zolote, Luhansk region,” said Colonel Lysenko.

As per intelligence information another echelon with weapons for militants arrived from the Russian Federation. “On February 15-16 an echelon with artillery (122-mm D-30 howitzers), ammunition pieces (up to 40 tons) and fuel and oils (up to 60 tons) arrived at Makyivka railway station. Five combat armored vehicles, two Grad systems, two fuel tanks and two trucks arrived in Kumachove village, Donetsk region from Russia,” noted ATO spokesman.

Colonel Lysenko also said that “Debaltseve” documentary film will be broadcast tonight on nationwide TV channels. “To remind a detailed analytical report on combat actions at the Debaltseve foothold was released by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces two weeks ago,” noted ATO spokesman.