The most active hostilities in the Donetsk sector continue near Avdiivka and the adjacent positions. Another escalation started after 3 p.m. Russia-backed militants were shooting from southern and eastern directions. They used mortars and tanks in Spartak and Yasynuvata,said the spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on ATO related issues Colonel Andriy Lysenko at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. The shooting attack continued 8.5 hours without recesses. Militants also used mortar launchers of the flank positions near Kamianka and Butivka coal mine. “Avdiivka is still cut off the electricity supply, as the repair crews cannot work under active hostilities cause by the enemy’s aggression. Drinking water supplies have been made, as Donetsk filtering station is out of operation,” emphasized the spokesman. The situation is also restless at the Svitlodarsk bulge and in Horlivka perimeter – Zaitseve, Verkhniotoretske and Donetsk airport. Militants are shelling Ukrainian positions 24/7. In total, 34 hostile attacks took place in the Donetsk sector yesterday, and 16 of them involved use of heavy armor.
In the Luhansk sector, the day was distinguished for increase in number and intensity of militants’ attacks from heavy armor. Krymske was a flashpoint yesterday, and insurgents violated the armistice seven times there. Russian proxies were using mortars, 152-mm cannons and tanks. They launched about 150 projectiles at Ukrainian positions within 90 minutes. Militants shelled almost all frontline positions in the Popasna district. “Residential quarters were affected as well. Windows were broken in two buildings in Popasna,” said Col. Lysenko. In total, militants conducted 18 attacks in the Luhansk sector yesterday, and 16 of these involved use of heavy armor.
Militants increased the number of artillery attacks in the Mariupol sector. First of all, this refers to Pavlopil – Shyrokyne frontline area, as well as Krasnohorivka and Novohryhorivka. Militants are massively using mortars. They shot several times from Grad-P rocket launcher in Vodiane and Hnutove. “There were no calm areas along the contact line yesterday. In total, 42 militants’ attacks took place in the Mariupol sector yesterday, and 25 of them involved use of heavy weaponry,” summarized Col. Lysenko.
Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred no losses yesterday, but 10 troopssustained injuries and wounds. “ Two casualties are the National Guard troops and the rest are Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen. Moreover, a Ukrainian soldier died in hospital. He sustained severe head injury in a hostile shelling in Mariinka on March 12,” said Col. Lysenko.
Report on the military developments as of March 31 is available here. Interactive data on the shelling: chronology shelling chart and the interactive map.
