Ministry of Defense: Ten Ukrainian servicemen wounded in action last week

Last week the average daily number of ceasefire violations by the enemy amounted to 15 episodes. The lowest number – 13 – was recorded on Monday, September 25, and the highest – 20 – on Saturday, September 30. “The overwhelming majority of armed provocations the militants carried out during the nighttime when the representatives of the OSCE and the International Committee of the Red Cross are not present”, reported Ukrainian Ministry of Defense spokesman Vilyen Pidgornyy at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.

Luhansk sector

Last week, the intensity of the hostile fire was the lowest among all sectors. Enemy cease-fire violations involving small arms were predominantly registered in the area of Bakhmut road and near Stanytsia Luhanska. The tensest situation in the sector was registered on September 29, when Russian proxies opened low-intensity mortar fire at Novotoshkivske and Krymske.

Last week, the daily number of ceasefire violations by the enemy ranged between zero and four.

Donetsk sector

Over the previous week, the intensity of the enemy fire in this sector continued to be the highest among the entire front line. Russia-backed militants initiated up to 10 cease-fire violations with grenade launchers per day. The areas of enemy combat activity remained the same – vicinities of Horlivka, Avdiivka and Donetsk airport. On September 27 and 29, the situation in the front line deteriorated. On Wednesday, invaders opened mortar and tank fire against Avdiivka as well as engaged Pisky with mortars.

On Friday, Russia-equipped militants opened high-intensity fire with mortars and main battle tanks at Avdiivka area, having discharged nearly 80 shells and mortar bombs against Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Last week, the daily number of ceasefire violations by the enemy ranged between five and ten.

Mariupol sector

Last week, the intensity of hostilities in the sector significantly decreased. As a rule, invaders committed up to five cease-fire violations with small arms per day and occasionally opened low-intensity mortar fire at positions of Ukrainian Armed Forces. The enemy paid particular attention to southern defense lines. However, the tensest situation in the front line was on September 28, when Russian proxies fired 35 mortar bombs at Maryinka.

Last week, the daily number of ceasefire violations by the enemy ranged between four and nine.

Intelligence data

Last week, Ukrainian troops registered five episodes of hostile drones conducting aerial reconnaissance in the ATO area, four of which – in the Luhansk sector, one – in the Mariupol sector. No instances of enemy aerial scouting were recorded in the Donetsk sector last week.

Over the reported period, no supplies of fuel from Russia into temporarily occupied regions of eastern Ukraine were recorded. At the same time, on September 29, 18 heavy trucks delivered to militants residing in Luhansk spare parts for self-propelled artillery guns. One day earlier, 69th so-called “humanitarian convoy” brought into occupied territories of eastern Ukraine 450 tons of unidentified cargo.

The military intelligence reports that the number of confirmed casualties amongst Russian proxies over the week is six killed and 15 wounded. The enemy suffered most casualties in the Bakhmut road area. Additionally, the enemy lost an infantry fighting vehicle and an anti-aircraft autocannon in combat during the last week.

As Ukrainian military intelligence confirms, due to heavy losses of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria that are constantly increasing, the recruitment effort of contract fighters among militants of so-called “DPR” and “LPR” has significantly intensified lately. The selection of military personnel is mainly carried out by representatives of Russian private military companies. The most qualified candidates are selected by the specialists of the General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces.

Casualties

Last week, three Ukrainian servicemen were killed in action and ten wounded in action. All fatalities occurred as a result of booby trap explosions. Additionally, as the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reports, the overall combat losses within the ranks of Ukrainian military since the beginning of the war in eastern Ukraine amount to 2,745 troops killed in action and 10,142 service members wounded in action.

Civilian buildings and infrastructure damage

Nine private homes were damaged by enemy hostile fire. Seven of them are located in Maryinka, Mariupol sector, and the other two are located in Zaitseve and Avdiivka, Donetsk sector. Also, one non-residential building in Zaitseve was hit by enemy shells.

Additionally, last week, two segments of electric power lines in Avdiivka and in Yasynuvata district, Donetsk sector, were destroyed by enemy shells. In addition, one section of gas pipeline in Bakhmut district was damaged by enemy hostile fire. All the breakdowns were repaired by Ukrainian emergency services in a timely manner.

Humanitarian aid

Last week, Ukrainian authorities arranged for access and safe passage through government checkpoints on the contact line of three trucks loaded with humanitarian aid for civilians living in the temporarily uncontrolled territory of eastern Ukraine. Nearly 20 tons of food and 14 tons of medicine were donated by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Report on the military developments as of the previous week is available here, as of October 2 is available here. Interactive data on the shelling: chronology shelling chart and the interactive map.