Kyiv, 16 June 2014 – Events taking place in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone today are actually a combat. Moreover the terrorists are financed and supplied with weapons from across the Ukrainian border. Such statement was made by Vladyslav Selezniov, the official spokesman for the anti-terrorist operation, on the scene via phone at a briefing in the Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “There’s an undeclared war going on in the East of Ukraine, we may well be talking now not about the state border line, but about the frontline”, said Selezniov.
The situation in ATO zone remains tense. According to the ATO official spokesman militants continue attacking the defensive checkpoints of Ukrainian enforcers. Thus he confirmed the information on unsuccessful attempt of terrorists to break through the defensive checkpoint in Svatovo, Luhansk region, as a result trucks with militants were destroyed. In addition to that the checkpoints near Sloviansk were shooted with mortars, insurgents keep trying to break through the encirclement there. According to Vladyslav Selezniov militants started firing mortars at the checkpoint of the Ukrainian military on the turn to Krasny Liman. The above events resulted in no losses on the Ukrainian military side.
Activities of ATO HQ are flexible enough and adapt their tactics remaining in the framework of the Ukrainian legislation and international standards. At the same time today’s burning issues include defense and surveillance of the state border as well as securing the so-called “green corridor” to assure peaceful civilians moving out of the ATO zone. “ATO forces have also arranged for security in the area of Sloviansk where Donbasenergo is conducting repair and recovery works to restore water supply”, added Vladyslav.
“Situation in Mariupol has been stabilized, but we may speak about the end of ATO in the city only after the last militant is either destroyed or detained”, said Selezniov. “ATO by its spectrum of the tasks can be compared to the counter-terrorist operation that aims to restore peace in Eastern regions of Ukraine. Today, assuming the involvement of the Russian Federation in the events in Ukraine is proved, we do not talk about ATO tasks or Ukraine-related matters only, it’s the issue of international importance.”
