{"id":40283,"date":"2015-08-21T10:49:03","date_gmt":"2015-08-21T10:49:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/uacrisis.org\/?p=31714"},"modified":"2015-08-21T17:13:15","modified_gmt":"2015-08-21T14:13:15","slug":"31714-rechnik-shtabu-ato-41","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uacrisis.org\/en\/31714-rechnik-shtabu-ato-41","title":{"rendered":"ATO Staff Spokesperson:\u00a0Militants violate ceasefire 216 times in the past three days"},"content":{"rendered":"

WATCH IN ENGLISH<\/a><\/p>\n

Kyiv, August 21, 2015.<\/strong> <\/em>Situation in the ATO zone became more stable in the period of August 18-20. Attacks of Russia-backed militants on Ukrainian positions became less intense, however, the number of ceasefire violations still climbed to 216 attacks. The use of heavy weapons by the militants decreased as well. Shelling intensity near Donetsk remained on the same level, said ATO Staff spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Anatoliy Stelmakh at a press briefing via Skype at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn August 20, the enemy fired from 122 mm artillery at our stronghold in Lebedynske village near Mariupol. They have completely disregarded the Minsk agreements by launching an attack from Grad multiple rocket launchers based in militant-controlled Pervomaysk on Ukrainian checkpoints in Lypove, which is close to Artemivsk. The militants also targeted positions of the Ukrainian forces in Kamyanka and Novoselivka from 152 mm artillery in the vicinity of Donetsk, while Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, Opytne, Pisky and Avdiivka were shot at from grenade launchers and light weapons several times,\u201d said Lt.Col. Stelmakh.<\/p>\n

Russia-backed militant groups instigated armed provocations from midnight to 6 a.m. on August 21. \u201cAt midnight militants shot at our positions in Prokhorivka from 152mm artillery twice, while Starohnativka, Lebedynske and Bohdanivka were targeted at 4 a.m.,\u201d clarified Lt. Col. Stelmakh.<\/p>\n

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