Kyiv, January 25, 2015. Specialists of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine examined the place of the tragedy in Mariupol and found that the missiles from the “Grad” and “Uragan” were launched from the territory occupied by the so-called “Donetsk People’s Republic,” said Colonel Andriy Lysenko, the ATO spokesperson, during a press-briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
On January 24, 30 people were killed and 102 were injured in the eastern part of Mariupol. Furthermore, 30 houses, seven schools, as well as power lines and the infrastructure were severely damaged; the “Azovstal” steel plant has partially stopped working. The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission concluded that the Grad missiles were fired from a north-eastern direction, in the area of Oktyabr, while the Uragan rockets from an eastern direction in the area of Zaichenko. Both settlements are controlled by the so-called “DPR” and are situated on the 19 and 15 km distance from the city respectively, stated the report of the mission. “Thus, the responsibility of militants for this bloody attack is clear and irrefutable,” said the ATO spokesperson.
Colonel Lysenko said that the situation in the ATO zone is increasingly tense, as militants intensified the shelling of Ukrainian positions, using artillery, mortars, grenade launchers, tanks and “Grad” missile systems along the entire frontline. The flow of military equipment, weapons, ammunition and personnel from the territory of the Russian Federation continues. “At the same time, the Ukrainian military caused significant damage to invaders,” stated Lysenko. In the period of January 17-22, Ukrainian defenders eliminated around 600 militants and Russian soldiers; 275 terrorists were injured. The final number of casualties can be much higher, because some of the wounded were evacuated from the battlefield. Four Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 17 got injured in the last 24 hours.
Andriy Lysenko said that the Ukrainian State Security Service arrested two “DPR” and “LPR” informants. One of them, named “Monakh” [Monk], was recruited by “DPR” militants through the social media. During a search of the apartment, law enforcement officers recovered a laptop, means of communication and two “F-1” grenades. The second detainee was a member of one of the Ukrainian law enforcement structures in Luhansk region.
The Defense Staff of Mariupol representative Roman Sokolov, deputy mayor of Mariupol Tetiana Lomakina and deputy commander of the “M”-sector Colonel Viktor Shidlyuh also took part in the press-briefing over the phone. They spoke about the situation in Mariupol. Colonel Shidlyuh emphasized that the defenders of the city are at the halt and continue to do their duties. The militants stopped shelling Mariupol; there was no panic in the city. Tetiana Lomakina said that all wounded after yesterday’s terrorist attacks received the necessary medical treatment; local authorities and volunteers helped the affected. Roman Sokolov said that the city developed a strong volunteer movement. “People’s resistance in the city is strong enough – our people stay united.”
