Kyiv, 26 December 2014 – The situation in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone remains complicated. Last night militants continued conducting armed provocations. “They fired 16 times at the positions of Ukrainian military with small arms, grenade launchers, mortars, weaponry of armoured vehicles and artillery,” said Leonyd Matyukhin, an ATO spokesman, via Skype to Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “Stanytsia Luhanska, Chornukhyne, Nikishyne and outskirts of Sokolnyky were fired upon with small arms and grenade launchers. Localities Marjinka, Slavne, Shumy, Mayorsk, Chornykhyne and Pisky (three times) came under mortar fire,” he continued.
In the area of Sokolnyky, illegal armed groups fired at Ukrainian positions with from an armored personnel carrier. Within the last several day militants twice used artillery, firing at Stepne and Shumy. “Starting from 17.00, 8 cases of aerial reconnaissance were spotted with UAVs deployed North-East of Mariupol – near Chermalyk, Mykolayivka, Novoselivka and Talakivka localities,” added the ATO spokesman.
The threat of mines and terrorist acts remains high in the ATO zone at rail roads, motorways and field roads used by both the military for supply purposes and civilians. Clashes among the militants continue. “In Antratsyt and Krasny Luch localities, militants of the “Don Army” and of the self-declared Luhansk People’s Republic clashed with each other Regular troops of the Russian Federation stationed in the above localities do not interfere,” said Oleksiy Mazepa, an Officer of the press-service at the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.