ATO Staff spokesman: Militants shoot from 120-mm mortar launcher near Mayorsk and 82-mm mortar launcher near Zaitseve

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Kyiv, February 26, 2016. The armistice in the ATO zone held compared to the previous day. 38 attacks at Ukrainian Armed Forces positions were registered on February 25. Militants became less active after the midnight, said ATO Staff spokesman Major Serhiy Zhmurko via Skype at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.  “Around 01:00 p.m. terrorists opened random fire and launched four mortar shells at our strongholds in Krasnohorivka,” informed Major Zhmurko. Militants shelled Ukrainian troops’ positions near Mariinka, Krasnohorivka, Mayorsk and Pisky using grenade launchers of various calibers, large machine guns and small arms. Militants’ snipers were shooting at strongholds near Novhorodske and Mariinka. Nine attacks at Ukrainian Armed Forces’ strongholds were recorded since 06:00 p.m., said the spokesman.

Moreover, Russian mercenaries keep opening mortar fire at Ukrainian troops’ positions, violating the existing agreements. “For instance, Russia-backed militants were shooting from 120-mm mortar launcher near Mayorsk and from 82-mm mortar launcher near Zaitseve. Militants opened random mortar fire towards Ukrainian strongholds near Krasnohorivka and Shyrokyne. Moreover, mercenaries were shooting from an armored personnel carrier in the vicinity of Krasnohorivka,” said Major Zhmurko.

Militants shelled Ukrainian troops’ strongholds near Mariinka, Opytne, Mayorsk and Zaitseve from small arms, large machine guns and grenade launchers or various systems. Moreover, they randomly shot from small arms and automatic machine guns towards strongholds near Avdiivka, Pisky, Novhorodske and Luhanske, said ATO Staff spokesman. Militants were less active at midnight. In total, Russia-backed militants violated the ceasefire 178 times on February 23-25.

The situation remained tense in the ATO zone on February 23. 84 cases of Ukrainian positions’ shelling by militants were recorded in the Donetsk and Mariupol sectors. “Terrorists launched more than 160 mortar shells from 120-mm mortar launcher shooting at strongholds near Krasnohorivka, Vodiane and Opytne, and 23 mortar shells were launched from a 120-mm mortar at Talakivka, Chermalyk, Butovka coal mine and Zenit position near Avdiivka,” informed Major Zhmurko. Militants’ snipers shot at Ukrainian forces’ positions near Mariinka and Butovka coal mine. “Russian mercenaries were shooting at strongholds near Opytne, Pisky, Avdiivka, Butovka coal mine and Zaitseve,” added the spokesman.

Russia-backed militants continued violating the ceasefire and shot at ATO forces positions on February 24. Militants shelled Ukrainian Armed Forces’ stronghold 56 times in 24 hours. According to the ATO Staff, the Donetsk sector was the most dangerous one. Russia-backed militants shelled Ukrainian strongholds in Pervomaiske and Zaitseve using mortar launchers. Moreover, they shot from grenade launchers, large machine guns and small arms at Ukrainian troops’ positions in Opytne, Pisky and Novhorodske. Militants shelled Chermalyk, Hnutove and Mariinka in the Mariupol sector using mortar launchers. Ukrainian military engineers continue clearing from mines a part of inhabited locality which militants suddenly abandoned, having mined it beforehand.