Shelling along the contact line remain intense. Intelligence reports about new troops and military equipment supplies for militants crossing border with Russia.
Kyiv, July 1, 2016. Militants continue shelling ATO troops’ positions in the east of Ukraine. Attacks continue along the entire frontline both during the day and at night. Militants use heavy armor. In total, 34, seven and 17 attacks took place in the Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors correspondingly in the last 24 hours, informed the spokesman of the Presidential Administration on ATO related issues Colonel Andriy Lysenko at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
Militants delivered seven attacks in the Luhansk sector yesterday; five of them involved use of heavy armor. “Main combat activity took place in Popasna area where the adversary opened fire from cannons and mortar launchers immediately after midnight. The shelling lasted 90 minutes. Moreover, hostile provocations took place in Krymske and Zolote,” said the spokesman.
In the Donetsk sector militants shelled Ukrainian troops’ positions at the Svitlodarsk bulge three times yesterday using artillery – 122-mm and 152-mm cannons. Militants are actively using mortar launchers along the entire frontline. “Over 120 mortars were launcher at our positions yesterday. Active combat activity continues. A number of firefights between ATO troops and occupants took place near Luhanske, Zaitseve, in the frontline area Horlivka-Yasynuvata and Avdiivka industrial area. Some of them lasted more than one hour. The enemy is shooting night and day,” said Col. Lysenko. In total, 34 militants’ attacks took place in the Donetsk sector yesterday; half of them involved use of heavy armor.
Novotroitske and the adjacent areas became the central “flashpoint” in the Mariupol sector. Militants were shelling Ukrainian positions for over six hours there. Russia-backed militant groups are actively using mortar launchers and armor in several sectors simultaneously: Krasnohorivka, the vicinity of Dokuchaevsk, Starohnativka and Pavlopil. The armistice held only southernmost, in Talakivka-Shyrokyne frontline area. “In total, 17 hostile attacks took place in the Mariupol sector yesterday, eight of them involved use of heavy armor,” said Col. Lysenko.
One Ukrainian serviceman died in combat yesterday and four were wounded.
According to Ukrainian military intelligence, three militants from so-called “9th regiment”, “11th regiment” and “7th brigade” died and five were wounded. Moreover, three militants from so-called “9th regiment” were wounded yesterday as a result of tripping their own mine. “We received additional information that Oleksandr Galkin, one of the militants liquidated on June 29 in the vicinity of Lohvynove (sniper of so-called “7th brigde”), was a Russian citizen. Two days ago two occupants from the enemy’s so-called “12th battalion” perpetrated a massacre and were heavily knifed,” added the spokesman.
According to the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, militants received another batch of reinforcement from Russia. 10 tanks, five Grad multiple rocket launcher systems (MRLS) and trucks proceeded through Krasnodon yesterday. 12 tanks came to Donetsk. 15 Grad MRLS arrived at Ilovaisk. “Russian military command continues using Donbas as the advanced equipment and ammunition proving ground. A guided weapons system KM-8 Gran was delivered to mortar battery in the vicinity of Horlivka. It is intended for destruction of isolated and group targets, for instance fortified structures, at first round, without additional adjustment of fire,” informed Col. Lysenko. The system contains of 120-mm guided missile 120 cm long. It weighs 27 kg, is equipped with laser seeker, commander’s control board and a laser range finder – target indicator with thermal weapon sight.
