Russia-backed militants made 15 attacks in the combat zone over the last day and fired a total of eight artillery shells as well as 93 mortar rounds of 82-mm and 120-mm caliber. Ukrainian troops returned fire three times over the last day, reported Ukrainian Ministry of Defense spokesman on ATO Colonel Dmytro Hutsulyak at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
In Luhansk sector, Russian proxies attacked Ukrainian troops’ strongholds ten times having fired eight artillery shells and 56 mortar rounds of various calibers. “The hottest spot was outside Troitske where the enemy shelled Ukrainian troops’ positions with 82-mm and 120-mm mortars, 100-mm and 122-mm artillery systems, IFV mounted weapons, grenade launchers and ZU-23 antiaircraft mounts,” the ATO spokesperson elaborated. In the area of Katerynivka, Krymske and Svitlodarsk militants used 82-mm mortars, IFV mounted weapons, antitank missile systems, grenade launchers and small arms of various calibers.
In Donetsk sector, Russia-backed militants violated the ceasefire five times. They shelled Ukrainian positions outside Lebedynske and Lomakyne with 120-mm mortars. The enemy used 82-mm mortars, IFV mounted weapons and heavy machine guns outside Pisky, and shelled Ukrainian positions near Avdiivka with mounted automatic grenade launchers.
Unfortunately, five Ukrainian servicemen were wounded in action, two more incurred combat injuries. “Yesterday, Russia-backed militants attacked Ukrainian military medics who were providing medical aid to civilians in Luhansk region. A 23-year old female medic was killed in the attack,” Colonel Hutsulyak reported.
Among other news, the President of Ukraine signed the Law “On peculiarities of the state policy on ensuring the state sovereignty of Ukraine over the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.” “The Law stipulates that it is the Russian Federation that did occupy the Ukrainian territories,” Ukrainian Ministry of Defense spokesman on ATO Colonel Dmytro Hutsulyak said.
Report on the military developments as of February 20 is available here. Interactive data on the shelling: chronology shelling chart and the interactive map.
