Andriy Lysenko: Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred no losses yesterday. Militants use anti-tank missile systems

WATCH IN ENGLISH

Kyiv, December 26, 2015. Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred no losses in combat yesterday. Armistice has been holding in the Luhansk sector for the second day. Nevertheless, Russia-backed militants instigated provocations in the Donetsk sector using small arms and grenade launchers. ATO positions were attacked twice using anti-tank missile systems and a sniper’s work was observed. Pro-Russia militant groups provoked Ukrainian troops in Zaitseve to respond with fire over 10 times, using small arms, grenade launchers and twice 82-mm mortar launchers. “The situation was tense on the outskirts of Horlivka and in Maiorsk where the enemy shelled ATO forces positions three times. No heavy armor was used. It was also tense north of Horlivka, near Novhorodske, where militants were shooting from light arms during the day. One hostile provocation using large machine guns took place near Troitske, and ATO forces positions were attached from small arms in the vicinity of Kamianka,” said Colonel Andriy Lysenko, spokesperson of Presidential Administration on ATO-related issues at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

26-12_eng

According to Col. Lysenko, Russia-backed militant groups became more active in the vicinity of Donetsk airport. “Militants continue using small arms and grenade launchers. Insurgents’ snipers were working in near Pisky and Opytne, and militants shelled our defense line from 82-mm and 120-mm mortar launchers during hours of darkness,” elaborated the spokesperson.

Pro-Russian militant groups opened gun fire in the Mariupol sector near Mariinka. At noon militants launched three mines on the ATO forces near Shyrokyne. “Militants entered Kominternove twice this week, abandoning it and provoking Ukrainian troops to start active combat,” added Col. Lysenko. Ukrainian troops observed flights of two unmanned aerial vehicles in the ATO zone near Mariupol. They were found to be conducting reconnaissance on the Azov sea shore, near Shyrokyne and in the vicinity of Vodiane. Three Ukrainian troops were wounded yesterday.

According to the spokesperson, Ukraine’s Security Service detained an infiltrator in Dobropillia, Donetsk region. He was planning to commit a series of acts of terror in the ATO zone. “The militant received special training at ‘Vostok’ militant group’s base in May-July last year. Law enforcements seized 9 kg of plastid, a RPG-26 grenade launcher, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a Makarov gun and cartridges. Ukrainian law enforcements seized the following for a year from weapons caches in Donetsk region alone: 328 grenade launchers, almost 5 thousand grenades, 236 assault rifles, machine guns and other light weapons, 27 explosive devices, 350 kg of blasting charges and over 300 thousand cartridges,” said Col. Lysenko.