Kyiv, February 15, 2016. The situation in the ATO zone escalated yesterday. “Occupants violated the ceasefire 71 times, shooting at ATO troops, inclusive of using heavy armor. In total, occupants launched over 160 mortar shells of various calibers at our positions yesterday,” said Colonel Andriy Lysenko, spokesman of the Presidential Administration on ATO related issues at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. In the Donetsk sector the situation was tense in Zaitseve, Mayorsk, Pisky and Krasnohorivka. “Militants are shooting both at night and during the day. In general, there were no calm areas at the frontline in the Donetsk sector,” informed Col. Lysenko. He said that mostly militants are attacking with aimed fire, using mortar launchers sporadically.
In the Mariupol sector militants violated the ceasefire in Maryinka, Talakivka and the adjacent territories. For instance, isolate provocations of Russia-backed militant groups were registered in Novotroitske and Shyrokyne. A firefight between ATO troops and militants took place in Hnutove. Nevertheless, no combat activity took place in the Luhansk sector. “Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred no casualties in combat in the past 24 hours,” informed the spokesman. According to the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, conflicts between local inhabitants, the self-proclaimed authorities and Russia-backed militants keep escalate on the temporary occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. “According to recent intelligence, the enemy is regularly hitting at their own positions and civil objects on the occupied territories. Russian artillery shot at a school in Svobodne village in Donetsk region on February 10,” said the spokesman. Moreover, militants are reported to be accused of intentional shooting at checkpoints at the frontline. Conflicts between Russia-backed militants and their command result from detention of payments. “For instance, troops of Russian Armed Forces within so-called “3rd motorized rifle brigade” of self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” rebelled because of detention of their wages. One Russian servicemen deserted so-called “9th separate motorized rifle regimen” due to dissatisfactory financial and supply support,” informed Col. Lysenko.
Ukrainian party managed to resume water supply in the front villages of Lebedynske, Berdianske and Sopyne. “Civil-military cooperation team and civil experts from Mariupol were working at this task. Ukrainian marines ensured site protection. Moreover, volunteers satisfied the most urgent needs of the inhabitants, having delivered about 15 tons of water,” said the spokesman.
