Kyiv, September 15 2014- “Fulfilling the Peace Plan of the President of Ukraine, subdivisions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other special forces maintain the ceasefire mode. Within the last 24 hours 73 servicemen of ours who were in Donetsk, were liberated from captivity”, – reported Col. Andriy Lysenko, the National Security and Defence Council Informationa Center spokesman at his briefing in Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
At the same time terrorist continue intensively outshooting Ukrainian positions and checkpoints. Within 24 hours terrorists outshot positions and checkpoints of ATO forces: in Donetsk region – in the area of Nyzhnya Krynka, Maloorlivka, Hranitne, Krynychne, Krasnohorivka, Maryinka, Starohnativka, Avdiyivka, Pisky, Verkhnyotoretske populated localities and Donetsk airport; in Luhansk region – nearby Komyshuvakha, Popasna, Shchastya and Zolote populated localities.
Russian mercenaries’ attacks at the positions of the Ukrainian subdivisions became more active, aiming at provoking them and forcing them out of the occupied lines. The stated actions are monitored by ATO headquarters; our servicemen give proper battle to aggressors, when needed.
For instance, Ukrainian troops destroyed 12 militants and two tanks during a battle nearby Donetsk airport on September 13. One tank more was captured.
Yesterday ATO forces rebuked the militants’ attempt to break through nearby Yasynuvata populated locality in Donetsk region and flung back the enemy to several kilometers off the city. The militants were acting covered by artillery and fore from “Grad” rocket launchers.
Staromykhaylivka populated locality on the west border of Donetsk city and Patriotychne populated locality are under terrorists’ control.
According to Lysenko, there were no military clashes in the Ukrainian- Russian border. Cases of air space intrusion were not recorded. The NSDC spokesman informed that yesterday terrorists and Russian troops attacked residential quarters in Kuybyshevo and Kyiv districts of Donetsk with artillery barrade. There are casualties among non-combatants. As a result of this bombardment several residential buildings were damaged, numerous fires started in some of them.
Yesterday representatives of Special OSCE Monitoring Mission came under these fires while carrying out patrol in Kyiv district of Donetsk. It made them stop their work.
According to Colonel Lysenko yesterday terrorists and Russian troops also outshot Maryinka populated locality and attacked eastern part of Sofiyivka in Perevalskyi district in Donetsk region with mortar fire from the direction of Debaltseve and Chornukhine populated localities. Local inhabitants witnessed it. Militants are trying to pass these attacks for those from the Ukrainian troops’ side.
In general peaceful situation is preserved in Luhansk, but the city is partially remains without power and water supply, landline and mobile communication are off too. There is dramatic shortage of health care workers in the city. Only 5 medical brigades out of 60 are left. At a rough estimate, at present Luhansk lacks approximately 80% of health care workers.
In Mariupol in Donetsk region ATO joint forces continue strengthening their defences and outbuilding their fortification. Volunteers and town inhabitants are actively helping the Ukrainian troops.
As a result of a special operation, counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine detained members of subversive group in Mariupol – a Russian citizen Aniskin R., 1964 year of birth, and a Ukrainian citizen of 1966 year of birth, as well as their female accomplice, a citizen of Ukraine. The plotters were planning diversionary acts at Mariupol strategic objects with the purpose of destabilizing the situation in the town and spreading panic among the inhabitants.
Commenting on the international reaction as to the situation in Ukraine, Andriy Lysenko reported that yesterday during a telephone conversation with the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel expressed her support of the importance of Verkhovna Rada passing a law envisaging special status for some areas in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and a law on amnesty. Besides, Petro Poroshenko and Angela Merkel discussed the possibility to continue international negotiations in Norman format.
Today international military training «Rapid Trident-2014» with participation of approximately 1300 servicemen from 15 countries started today in the territory of a “Central” military camp of the International Center for peace-making and security of the Ground Forces Academy named after Hetmal Petro Sahaydachnyi.
In total, almost 700 units of weapons and over 50 military trucks and fighting vehicles will be used during the holding of the military exercises.
It should be noted that medical support of the exercises complies with high international standards. In order to create the most favourable conditions possible to save the training participants’ lives and health, there will be a medical brigade and a mobile ICU on permanent call on the basis of a medical aid post of the “Central” military camp of the International Center for peace-making and security.
The training will last till September 26 in Yavoriv training area and will not include any weapons training exercise. Pentagon stated that the maneuvers would increase functional compatibility of the army of the USA, Ukraine and other participating countries.
