Oleksandr Motuzyanyk: ATO troops register 30 attacks in Mariupol sector, six involve use of heavy armor

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Kyiv, April 24, 2016. Militants conducted 30 attacks in the Mariupol sector near Mariinka, Novotroitske and Shyrokyne, six of them involved use of heavy armor, informed Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, Presidential Administration spokesperson on ATO related issues, at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. In the Luhansk sector Russia-backed militants violated the ceasefire once in Popasna district, and in Donetsk sector ATO troops registered 14 militants’ attacks, over half of them were delivered from heavy armor. “Hostile attacks took place along the entire frontline – at the Svitlodarsk bulge, in Zaitseve, near Avdiivka and on distant approaches to the Donetsk airport,” elaborated the spokesman.

Three Ukrainian troops died in combat yesterday and six were wounded.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) jointly with police detained a militant in Sloviansk. A former internal affairs officer joined Russia-backed militant group in May 2014 and was keeping the watch at checkpoints on the outskirts of Sloviansk. According to Col. Motuzyanyk, after liberation of the town by Ukrainian troops, the militant fled to the occupied territory and afterwards to Russia. “Meanwhile, the SBU disclosed an informant of the General Staff of the Armed Forces’ Main Intelligence Directorate in Luhansk region. Russian special services recruited her for 100 US dollars in August 2015. The woman was collecting intelligence information in the area of ATO troops’ location,” informed the spokesman.