Militants’ most intense activity has been registered in the Mariupol sector. Almost all attacks involved use of heavy weapons or armor, namely tanks and armored personnel carriers, informed the spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on ATO related issues Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. Shyrokyne came under dense militants’ fire, as Russia proxies were shooting from 152-mm artillery, 120-mm mortar launchers and tanks. “Mortar attacks were also registered near Mariinka, Krasnohorivka, Talakivka and Vodiane, and militants shot from armored personnel carrier twice near Pavlopil,” added the spokesman.
In the Luhansk sector Russia-backed militants instigated a number of provocations in Popasna and Novyi Aidar areas, opening fire from small arms and grenade launchers. They started using heavy armor at 10 p.m. “The enemy was shooting from 82-mm and 120-mm mortars near Novozvanivka and Krymske, launching 20 mortar shells,” elaborated Col. Motuzyanyk.
The vicinity of Donetsk airport including Avdiivka, Opytne and Butovka coal mine positions, as well as Luhanske settlement vicinities at the Svitlodarsk bulge remain the flashpoints in the Donetsk sector. “Militants are aiming their fire at Ukrainian positions near Butovka and Opytne, launching 235 mortar shells. Each mortar attack was accompanied by small weapons fire,” said the spokesman. Another armed provocation was registered near Zaitseve.
Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred no losses in combat yesterday, and three troops were injured.
According to Col. Motuzyanyk, the President of Ukraine signed an order on forming three new military-civil administrations in Zolote and Katerynivka in Popasna district of Luhansk region and in Zaitseve settlement in Bakhmut district in Donetsk region. “The Popasna district and Horlivka perimeter which includes Zaitseve is one of the areas where militants commit armed provocations. Military-civil administrations are helping to establish efficient cooperation between local authorities and military troops to guarantee safety of local inhabitants, counter militants’ subversive acts and secure proper functioning of civil infrastructure,” he said.
