Kyiv, 17 December 2014 – “Within the last 24 hours terrorists fired 26 times at the positions of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) forces. The bandits used artillery, mortars, grenade launchers and small arms. The areas of the enemy’s highest activity were Luhansk, Donetsk and Pervomaysky directions. The agreement to temporarily cease fire is being implemented unilaterally by Ukrainian servicemen only,” informed Leonyd Matykhin ATO, spokesman via Skype at a briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
A number of localities came under fire of illegal armed groups including Shchastya, Stary Aydar, Stanytsia Luhanska, Tryokhizbenka, Krymske, Sokolnyky, Pisky, Avdiivka, Debaltseve, Nikishyne, Novogrygorivka and Frunze. Militants fired six times at the Donetsk airport. “Artillery of the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not strike back. From 3:20 to 4:40 in the area of Talakivka locality an enemy’s UAV was spotted at the 2 km height. Our antiaircraft personnel observed it taking no action and did not open fire at it while complying with the ceasefire regime,” noted Leonid Matyukhin.
According to Colonel Valentyn Buryachenko, Head of the press and information department at the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine since the start of the silence regime (from 10.00 of 9 December) militants have fired 106 times at the positions of defense and law enforcement agencies of Ukraine in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. One serviceman was injured,” added Colonel Buryachenko.
