Most intense fighting over the week happened in the Donetsk region. Military intelligence disclosed heavy and vehicle mounted weapon and spots spy planes.
Kyiv, April 22, 2016. Militants of 1st Army Corps (AC) created a Drone Aircraft Center in Donetsk. Drones are launched both from the temporarily occupied areas of Donbas and from Russia. Over the week, flights of six drones were recorded, two of which took off from Russia and landed there. Besides, from April 18 the flights of spy planes Il-20 of the RF Armed Forces along the state border of Ukraine have been resumed. This was stated by Vadym Skybytskyi, representative of the Chief Intelligence Department of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine at a briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
In the photo: drones manufactured at the IZHMASH factory and put into service in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in 2014. They are used to collect data on the movement of Ukrainian troops and to adjust artillery fire. One of such drones was shot down by Ukrainian military on March 28.
According to Mr. Skybytskyi, over the current week, the number of enemy firing slightly reduced as compared to the previous week. All in all militants fired 322 times. They used actively 82- and 120- mm mortars, anti-tank guided weapon systems, armored personnel carriers, and 122-mm artillery cannon weapons.
The highest intensity of attacks was observed in Donetsk sector, where militants fired 177 times.
This week the Ukrainian intelligence service disclosed ninety six tanks T-62 (last week – 47), artillery systems and self-propelled artillery vehicles and eleven 122-mm multiple rocket launchers “Grad” in places prohibited by the Minsk agreements. Besides, over the week, Russia sent militants 320 tons of ammunition for 122-mm artillery systems, 120- mm mortars and grenade launchers, 920 tons of fuel, 1260 tons of various spare repair components for armored and motor vehicles by railway and motor roads. On April 21, the so-called 51st “humanitarian convoy” was delivered. “Usually, after receiving such “humanitarian supplies” from Russia, militants increase the number of firing at the ATO forces,” reminded Mr. Skybytskyi. During the past 24 hours three repaired tanks and two multiple rocket launchers “Grad” arrived from Russia. Now 1st and 2nd Army Corps become 85 percent equipped with weapons and military vehicles.
According to military intelligence, on April 19, command of 9th Separate Assault Mechanized Regiment of Marines practiced landing operations on the Sea of Azov coast in the area between Bezimenne and Novoazovsk. Artillery units of 7th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade practiced firing with multiple rocket launchers “Grad” at the training area near Krasnyi Luch. From April 13 to April 18, military exercises of the units of 2nd AC were conducted at the training area near Uspenka, during which they practiced off-bridge mobility of armored infantry vehicles, armored personnel carriers and combat reconnaissance patrol vehicles and fordability of tanks.
Vadym Skybytskyi informed that over the week militants incurred 32 lethal casualties and 71 military were wounded. “Putin’s regime continues its efforts to prevent the leakage of this information,” he noted and explained that for this purpose the military are provided with fake documents; it is not recorded that they cross the border; their personal mobile phones, cameras and other gadgets are taken away, and personal information is deleted from social networks. Besides, servicemen from the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB), airborne troops and Interior Ministry troops under the terms of the contract are obliged to keep their official activities and place of service secret. “At the same time in order to reduce survivor’s and insurance benefits the Russian authorities have introduced the following practices: backdate dismissal of killed servicemen, changing their status for “volunteers,” fictitious registration of deaths from their personal negligences,” informed the military intelligence representative.
