ATO headquarters: Militants fire at Ukrainian positions. Martial collision near Verkhnotoretske

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Kyiv, November 17, 2015. Militants continue firing at Ukrainian positions. They fired at Zaitseve and Shchastia with grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms. Grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms also fired at Mayorsk, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka and Pisky, the latter was once fired at with 82-millimeter mortars. Militants, aimed fire with 120-millimeter mortars at the Ukrainian positions near Avdiivka from the direction of Putyliv forest. “Opytne has suffered too. And in Mariupol sector the enemy aimed grenade fire at our positions near ​​Hranitne,” said Leonid Matyukhin, the spokesperson of the ATO headquarters, via Skype at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

“Around 8 pm on November 13, there was a combat collision near Verkhnotoretske, which traditionally ended with the flight of the enemy from the battlefield,” said Captain Matyukhin. He noted that during a two-hour battle militants used not only BMP-2, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms, but also 82-millimeter mortars, which, according to Minsk agreements, had to be withdrawn long ago. “In addition, militants rocketed three times from Staromykhailivka toward Krasnohorivka. This fact is recorded by video surveillance supplies of the Ceasefire control and coordination center,” said Matyukhin.

Cpt. Matyukhin reported that in addition to Ukrainian positions, militants fire at peaceful settlements with Grad multiple launch rocket systems. Overall, they launched 12 rockets. The shelling hit the outskirts of Krasnohorivka and Hirnyk.

According to the information obtained by the ATO headquarters from sources close to the militants’ “infantry brigade” deployed in Debaltseve, “officers of this group write mass reports on layoffs. The main reason is poor allowance and material support, and the conditions of military service,” said Matyukhin.