Kyiv, June 3, 2015. At 4 a.m., Russia-backed militants launched an offensive on the Ukrainian military positions near Maryinka and Krasnohorivka using tanks, mortars and the artillery. “Despite the escalation of fighting, Ukrainian troops hold control over Maryinka and Krasnohorivka. Ukrainian Armed Forces did not suffer any lethal casualties yesterday,” said Colonel Andriy Lysenko, spokesman of the Administration of the President of Ukraine on ATO related issues, at the press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
In the Mariupol sector, Russian proxies shelled Shyrokyne and Chernenko from 82-mm and 120-mm mortars. Meanwhile, militants focused their artillery shelling on the areas around Svitlodarsk, Donetsk sector. Skirmishes took place in the outskirts of Kirove, Pisky and areas south of Donetsk.
“In Luhansk sector, Ukrainian troops did not observe armed incidents involving heavy weapons by militant groups. The enemy has conducted a series of armed provocations in the area of Zolote, Shchastya and near the Bakhmutska road,” Col. Lysenko added.
Ukrainian border guards spotted 38 flights of enemy UAVs yesterday.
Three Ukrainian servicemen got wounded in action in the last 24 hours.
“Hnutove” and “Bugas” checkpoints have been temporarily closed due to the militants’ shelling. “This was done to ensure the safety of civilians who cross the checkpoint. These two checkpoints has been reopened already,” Col. Lysenko said.
Ukraine’s Security Service detained three persons suspect in committing nine terrorist acts in the Kharkiv region, including blasting the railway tracks, shooting at military enlistment offices and of the volunteer organization office from a grenade launcher. According to Col. Lysenko, pro-Russian subversives have been recruited by the Russian intelligence and who underwent training courses on the Special Forces military field based in Krasnodar. Ukrainian operatives confiscated a sniper SVD rifle, MRO-A reactive flamethrower, Kalashnikov assault rifles, pistols, over 1 kg of TNT and over 2,000 rounds. A Vintorez sniper rifle has been found in the militants’ arsenal too, which is in service of the Russian elite military units. “Another “Vintorez” was seized from Russian servicemen of the GRU’s Special Forces 3rd Brigade of the Russia’s Armed Forces who were detained on May 16 near Shchastya,” Col. Lysenko said.
Three trucks with 20 tonnes of food and hygiene items collected by the International Committee of the Red Cross moved through the Novoaidar checkpoint, which is to be distributed among civilians in the Luhansk region..
