Kyiv, 23 December 2014 – The situation in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone remains complicated. “Starting from 18.00 yesterday and till 06.00 this morning illegal armed groups provoked Ukrainian military 9 times using small arms, grenade launchers and mortars. At night they fired at the air control tower of the Donetsk airport and at Pisky village. Terrorists used small arms and grenade launchers to fire at the outskirts of Nikishyne and at the power substation in Debaltseve. Our troops’ positions in Lomakyne and near Hnutove came under mortar fire,” informed Leonyd Matyukhin, ATO spokesman via Skype at a briefing at the Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
Militants fired with grenade launchers at the thermal power plant in Shchastya town. They used mortars to fire at the Ukrainian positions in Sokilnyky area. Near Krymske an engagement occurred between Ukrainian military and illegal armed groups. Despite the numerous times fire was opened all actions taken by the bandits were of provocative nature only.
UAVs of the illegal armed groups were deployed more actively. “Starting from 16.40 and till 01.00 UAVs passed over 10 times above Mariupol,” added the ATO spokesman.