The situation in ATO zone drastically escalated in all sectors. Three Ukrainian servicemen were killed in action and five were wounded. “Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred these severe losses in hostile shooting attack, mostly in Donetsk sector,” informed Ukrainian Ministry of Defense spokesman on ATO Colonel Andriy Lysenko during a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
Total number of militants’ attacks increased more than threefold, and there were five times more attacks with heavy weapons. “Ukrainian troops repeatedly responded with fire,” said Col. Lysenko. In Donetsk sector Russia-equipped militants started shooting with mortars at Svitlodarsk area, near Zaitseve, Novhorodske and Pisky after 18:00. Shooting attacks started in Avdiivka in the morning and intensified in the afternoon. In total, militants fired over 90 mortar rounds at Ukrainian positions. “In addition to mortars, Russian proxies repeatedly used armored vehicles and snipers and turned the entire frontline from Luhanske to Pisky restless,” informed the spokesman. Militants delivered 21 attacks in Donetsk sector yesterday, 11 of them involved heavy weapons.
In Luhansk sector militants used heavy armaments in three areas: mortars in Zhovte and Krymske, and mortars along with barrel artillery in Novooleksandrivka, firing about 30 rounds. These attacks happened in the evening, between 19:00 and 23:00,” said Col. Lysenko. Hostilities also took place in Stanytsia Luhanska and Popasna districts. In total, militants violated the ceasefire 12 times in Luhansk sector yesterday.
In Mariupol sector the biggest number of militants’ attacks took place in Pavlopil–Shyrokyne frontline area. They used mortars four times, armor twice and light weapons en masse yesterday. “Unlike Luhansk and Donetsk sectors, militants violate the armistice day and night here. The largest number of attacks took place in Vodiane. There were nine attacks yesterday, which is about 13% of all armed incidents in ATO zone,” informed Col. Lysenko. Militants were shelling Novotroitske. Two hostile attacks occurred in Krasnohorivka and Mariinka, the second one involved mortars. In total, Russian proxies violated the armistice 32 times in Mariupol sector yesterday.
Report on the military developments as of April 25 is available here. Interactive data on the shelling: chronology shelling chart and the interactive map.
