Civil war in Ukraine: News & discussion

[gau8av]

Three Ukrainian paratroopers possibly abducted near occupied Crimea : UNIAN news

The press service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Facebook that three soldiers from 79th separate airmobile brigade went missing in the early hours of September 5 near the administrative border with the Russian-occupied Crimea.

REUTERS
"In the morning of September 5, we became aware of the three soldiers from the 79th separate airmobile brigade gone missing - senior soldier Yurov, soldiers Orlenko and Mekshun. In the course of search operations, after serving duty at the observation post... they put on plain clothes and went to swim at the dam, according to their fellow soldiers. The dam is located in the area adjacent to the illegally occupied territory of Crimea," reads the statement

According to the General Staff, it was later found that on the same night, two vehicles (an URAL truck and UAZ) drove close to the said area from the illegally occupied territory of Crimea. Therefore, our troops might have been illegally captured by the Russian military.
It is noted that the soldiers’ weapons, ammunition and military IDs remained at the base. Internal investigation and the search are continuing.

the torn flag is apt, eh ?

Crimea is Russian territory now, Ukies should be careful where they send their soldiers.

 

[Hindustani78]

ATO Headquarters: no violations of ceasefire since midnight : UNIAN news
07.09.2015 | 19:51

No violations of the ceasefire have been recorded along the whole demarcation line in Donbas today, from midnight to 18:00, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO).

REUTERS
"Today the situation in the ATO zone has been completely calm," the press center said in its statement.

It is noted that "for the first time in recent months, on September 7, from midnight to 18:00, there has not been a single case of the use of weapons along the whole demarcation line!"

"Today's silence gives hope in the hearts of all Ukrainians that confrontation, controversial issues, and challenges may now be resolved through negotiations. And the civilian population in Donbas will finally hear no sounds of shelling and start to rebuild the region," the ATO press center noted.

As UNIAN reported earlier, two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the Donbas conflict zone in the past day, September 6, and the Russian proxies violated the ceasefire regime 12 times.

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Two Ukrainian soldiers wounded in Donbas in last day - read on - uatoday.tv
No servicemen killed in clashes between Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed militants

UNIAN: No Ukrainian soldiers were killed but two were wounded in the Donbas conflict zone over the last 24 hours, presidential administration spokesman for the Anti-Terrorist Operation Colonel Andriy Lysenko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday.

"Over the last day, we haven't lost any Ukrainian soldiers, but two were injured as a result of military clashes," he said.

The combined Russian-militant forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 12 times overnight.

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Ukrainian military spokesmen report finding five dead Russian-led militants - read on - uatoday.tv

Ceasefire generally holds in east Ukraine

Ukrainian military spokesmen said the corpses of 5 Russian militants have been discovered in Luhansk region along the demarcation line with Ukrainian government forces, as well as continued sporadic gunfire was heard near government-controlled Schastya.

Ukrainian soldiers said the five corpses were found near the Severskiy Donetsk River several weeks ago and were heavily coated in mud. They said the militants had probably tripped a mine during a reconaissance mission.

In southeastern Ukraine, meanwhile, three Ukrainian troops have going missing in Kherson region near the Russia-occupied peninsula of Crimea.

A tentative ceasefire coninues to hold in east Ukraine, with few reports of heavy shelling of Ukrainian government positions.

Ukrainian government officials and leaders of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic have pledged to abide by the new truce.

 

[Hindustani78]

One Ukrainian soldier killed in ATO area in past day| Ukrinform

KYIV, September 8 /Ukrinform/. One Ukrainian serviceman was killed; other two were wounded in ATO area in past 24 hours.

Spokesman for the Presidential Administration on the anti-terrorist operation, Colonel Oleksandr Motuzianyk said this at a briefing in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"One Ukrainian serviceman was killed, two soldiers were injured over the past day," he said.

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UN reports on 8,000 people killed in Donbas| Ukrinform
KYIV, September 8 /Ukrinform/. Close to 8,000 people have lost their lives in eastern Ukraine since mid-April 2014.

This is stated in the report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, presented by UN Human Rights Chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein today.

"Since the conflict began in eastern Ukraine in mid-April 2014, a total of at least 7,962 people (including Ukrainian armed forces, civilians and members of the armed groups) have been killed, and at least 17,811 injured," reads the report.

The Commissioner noted that “the shelling of residential areas on both sides of the contact line has led to a disturbing increase in the number of civilian casualties over the past three months.”

The report also documents cases of killings, abductions, torture and ill-treatment, sexual violence, forced labour, ransom demands and extortion in the territories controlled by the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People's Republic” and “Luhansk people's republic.”

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Two Ukrainian soldiers killed in military clash with terrorists in Luhansk area : UNIAN news
Two soldiers of the 128th brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces were killed and another two were wounded during a military clash with a subversive reconnaissance group of terrorists in the village of Bolotene in Luhansk region on September 7, Luhansk Regional Military and Civil Administration's press service told an UNIAN correspondent.

REUTERS
"Perhaps, the militants penetrated the territory of Stanychno-Luhanskiy district to take their dead soldiers. But the terrorists did not know that the bodies had already been taken. The law enforcement officers are now identifying the bodies of saboteurs," Chairman of Luhansk Regional Military and Civil Administration Heorhiy Tuka said.

In addition, another dead soldier was taken to hospital in Stanychno-Luhanskiy district this morning.

As reported earlier, on September 6, the bodies of five saboteurs with mine-explosive injuries were found in the village of Stanytsia Luhanska near the Siverskiy Donets River. The dead soldiers were dressed in camouflage uniforms, with automatic weapons, ammunition, and without personal documents.

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Russia promises to fine and return abducted Ukrainian paratroopers : UNIAN news
Three Ukrainian soldiers from the 79th separate airmobile brigade, who were detained by the Russian border guards near Syvash Lake in Crimea, may soon return to Ukraine, according to the report of the Russian Federal Security Service, Ukrainian news service TSN has reported.

Photo from TSN
According to the report, Russia has promised to punish Ukrainian soldiers with a fine for violation of the rules of crossing the state border.

In turn, Ukraine is ready to take the soldiers, but disagrees with the prosecution, because Crimea is officially the Ukrainian territory, though temporarily occupied.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the press service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Facebook that three soldiers from 79th separate airmobile brigade went missing in the early hours of September 5 near the administrative border with the Russian-occupied territory of Crimea.

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[Hindustani78]

Ukraine says truce holding despite soldier`s death: Kiev | Zee News
Last Updated: Wednesday, September 9, 2015 - 18:05

Kiev: Ukraine`s army said on Wednesday that a new nine-day truce with pro-Russian insurgents was holdings despite small skirmishes that claimed the lives of two government soldiers this week.

"A relative calm on the front is holding," Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told reporters.

"On average, the rebels violate the ceasefire 10 times a day, but they no longer use heavy weapons."

Lysenko said the insurgents staged a raid in the eastern separatist province of Lugansk that was repelled in a 30-minute gun battle in which one government soldier.

Another Ukrainian serviceman was reported killed on Tuesday.

The militia command reported no casualties from the mostly Russian-speaking industrial war zone.

The bitter foes agreed on September 1 to more strictly respect an often-broken February armistice that was meant to end fighting quickly and settle all political disputes by the end of the year.

But a new round of talks in the Belarussian capital Minsk on Tuesday made no reported progress toward a deal that would see both armies withdraw their smaller weapons from the 500-kilometre (310-mile) demilitarisation zone.

Rebel command said it expected a special security task force representing the warring sides and Russia to continue with the negotiations with the help of European mediation on Wednesday.

Diplomatic sources said German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande -- two underwriters of the February ceasefire agreement -- were to speak to Ukraine`s pro-Western leader Petro Poroshenko and Russia`s Vladimir Putin by telephone later Wednesday.

The United Nations estimated on Tuesday that the 17-month conflict on the European Union`s eastern frontier has claimed the lives of nearly 8,000 people and injured almost 18,000 -- most of them civilians.

Repeated efforts to stop the 17-month conflict have been frustrated by some rebel and government units` refusal to listen to their political leaders and the high level of mistrust between Moscow and Kiev.

Russia denies accusations by Ukraine and its allies of orchestrating and supporting the conflict to try to prevent Ukraine from joining the European Union and possibly NATO at a later date.

The February pact offers the militia broader autonomy but requires them to cede control of their parts of the Russian-Ukrainian border to Kiev`s troops.

The slow pace of negotiations has seen the separatists request a deadline extension that would see all peace terms implemented by the start of 2017.

Ukraine insists that it must seize back full control of its Russian border within the next four months.



AFP

 

[Hindustani78]

Ukraine lost one more soldier| Ukrinform

KYIV, September 9 /Ukrinform/. One Ukrainian serviceman was killed, no soldiers were wounded in the ATO area over past 24 hours.

Spokesman for the Presidential Administration on the anti-terrorist operation, Colonel Andriy Lysenko said this at a briefing in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"One Ukrainian serviceman was killed, no Ukrainian soldiers were wounded as a result of active hostilities over past 24 hours," Lysenko said.

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53,000 Russian servicemen on border with Ukraine- Security Council s Secretary| Ukrinform

KYIV, September 9 /Ukrinform/. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) Oleksandr Turchynov states that Russia has positioned about 53,000 servicemen on the border with Ukraine.

The NSDC Secretary said this on the air of Ukraine's 24 news TV channel

"The concentration of Russian troops along our common border has not changed for past six months. It's about fifty battalion tactical groups, involving 53,000 people," he said.

According to him, Putin is now trying to negotiate with the West, preparing to possible talks with the United States at the UN General Assembly session in New York.

Turchynov added that the Russian provocations in Ukraine would continue and "we have to be ready to repel the attack at any moment."

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Tymchuk: Terrorists reinforced with new mortar battery : UNIAN news
The Russian-backed militants are carrying out a regrouping and are reinforced with a new mortar battery, head of the Information Resistance Group and MP Dmytro Tymchuk wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
"A new 82mm mortar battery of the militants has been recorded to the north of the town of Dokuchaievsk," he said.

According to Tymchuk, the situation in the Donbas conflict zone remains stable, though single armed provocations from the Russian-terrorist troops are still recorded.

The Russia proxies are firing small arms in the direction of Artemivsk and in Luhansk area. In addition, the terrorists continue to fire armored vehicles and rocket launchers in the area of the city of Donetsk.

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Russian proxies attack ATO forces four times overnight : UNIAN news
The combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine four times overnight, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.

"From 18:00 to midnight on September 9, the illegal armed groups fired several times on ATO forces in Donbas," the press center said.

In the direction of Artemivsk, at about 18:30 Kyiv time, the militants started firing small arms on a fortified position of the Ukrainian armed forces in the village of Luhanske.

At 20:25 Kyiv time, the mercenaries started firing a grenade launcher on ATO forces near the town of Schastia.

"In addition, from 21:05 to 23:10, the Russian proxies were firing infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms on our units to the south of the town of Avdiyivka from the village of Spartak," the headquarters said.

"From midnight to 06:00 on September 9, the Kremlin-backed mercenaries were not using weapons along the demarcation line," the press center said.
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UN monitors report mass killings of civilians by militants in Donbas - read on - uatoday.tv
8,000 killed in Ukraine conflict, according to UN estimates

UNIAN: The monitoring mission of the UN Human Rights Council to Ukraine has recorded facts of mass killings of civilians, abductions, torture, sexual abuse, forced labor and extortion by Russian-backed militants in Donbas, according to Ukraine's Foreign Ministry.

"Ukraine has carefully studied the eleventh Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, which covers the period from May 16 to August 15, 2015. The information collected by the monitoring mission is another evidence of a highly negative impact of the Russian aggression against Ukraine on the human rights. In particular, it clearly states the impact on human rights across the region of external factors, such as Russian supply of military forces, weapons and ammunition to the Donbas," as stated in comments by MFA of Ukraine.

It is noted that the report is of great importance as it documents the crimes committed by Russian-backed illegal armed groups in the east of Ukraine. Among the facts reported by the mission are mass killings of civilians, abductions, torture, sexual abuse, forced labor and extortion.

It is separately stressed that, contrary to international law and the Constitution of Ukraine, the illegal armed groups continue to create administrative pseudo-agencies and issue quasi-passports to locals in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"Much attention is paid to the situation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea occupied by the Russian Federation, where the rights of the Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians have been systematically violated. We believe that the severity of the problem and the scale of human rights violations by the Russian occupying authorities require a separate detailed OHCHR report," said the Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's adoption of the National Strategy in the field of human rights was positively assessed in the report. The Strategy was developed with participation of representatives of international organizations and civil society. A number of OHCHR recommendations aimed at improving respect for human rights in Ukraine will be carefully studied.

The Ukrainian side highly appreciates the activities of OHCHR and the Monitoring mission on human rights to Ukraine. Their work contributes to unbiased informing of the international community on the state of human rights in conditions caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The results of the mission's work became an effective argument in favor of Ukraine initiating the extension of the mission's mandate until March 15, 2016.

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[Götterdämmerung]

Where are the NATO-cheerleaders from Europe? You cannot just leave all the cheerleader work to that Indian, can you?

HUH?

 

[Hindustani78]

Militants attack Ukrainian army strong point near Avdiyvka | Міністерство оборони України
Thursday, September 10. DONBAS — According to the press centre of the ‘anti-terror’ operation (ATO), yesterday, the ceasefire was kept in the region. From 06:00 p.m. to 00:00 the illegal armed formations violated the ceasefire only once.

They shelled the strong point near Avdiyvka with grenade launchers and small arms.

Today, from 00:00 to 06:00 a.m., the enemy has not used the armament.

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One soldier wounded in ATO area in past 24 hours — Ukrinform News
KYIV, September 10 /Ukrinform/. No Ukrainian servicemen were killed, one soldier was wounded in ATO area in past 24 hours.

Spokesman for the Presidential Administration on the anti-terrorist operation, Colonel Oleksandr Motuzianyk said this at a briefing in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"Fortunately, there were no casualties among the Ukrainian servicemen for past 24 hours. One of our soldiers was wounded," he said.

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Casualties reported in Luhansk region - read on - uatoday.tv
Luhansk governor: Ukrainian troops trip mine and suffer losses


At least two dead Ukrainian servicemen and several wounded. According to Luhansk Regional Administration head Georgiy Tuka, a squad from the army's 54th Brigade tripped a mine near the line of demarcation between Ukrainian government troops and Russian-led militants.

The tragic news comes amid a fighting lull, which began on Sept. 1 following talks in Minsk, Belarus between the leaders of the self-proclaimed Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples' Republics.

The United Nations this week said at least 8,000 people have died as a result of Russia's invasion of east Ukraine, which begain in April 2014.

 

[Hindustani78]

Sea Breeze 2015: Active Phase | Міністерство оборони України
Friday, September 11. BLACK SEA — The active phase of Sea Breeze 2015 goes on. On September 10, the tactical groups of the Ukrainian, US, Romanian, and Turkish ships had training on planning and organization of the NATO-led international naval operations.

Aviation component ensured air defence training of ships, air support of troops, and provided parachuting of the marines.

According to Capt. 1st Rank Olexiy Neyjpapa, Training Director, it is important to work out operational coordination of all the units of different countries and national authorities in the course of such maneuvers. The primary task of this active phase is to achieve the interoperability of all the units during tasks accomplishment.

 

[Hindustani78]

Friday, September 11. MARIUPOL — Artillerists undergo training, clean and maintain guns during the ceasefire. All the weapons are withdrawn from the frontline according to the Minsk agreements. Servicemen enhance their skills: learn theory and have tactical training.

There are a lot of mobilized personnel among them who are volunteers. Thanks to these daily training, servicemen are highly professional and skillful.

Artillerists know that they defend the very important direction and are ready to reach the objective in order to prevent provocations and repel any attack.

The West should deploy anti-tank weapons near Ukraine - Sikorski — Ukrinform News

KYIV, September 11 /Ukrinform/. The West should deploy anti-tank weapons near Ukraine to help the country in case of further attack by the Russian forces on its territory.

Former Foreign Minister of Poland and former Speaker of the Polish Parliament Radoslaw Sikorski stated this within the evening discussion at the twelfth annual meeting of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) in Kyiv, the LB.ua Ukrainian media outlet reports.

"The anti-tank weapons should be deployed somewhere near Ukraine, in Poland or Romania. If the pro-Russian forces or the Russian forces come deeper into the territory of Ukraine, these weapons will reach Ukraine very quickly, within an hour. So President Putin should be aware of that," the politician said.

 

[Hindustani78]

SBU reports it prevented assassination attempt on Interior Minister : UNIAN news

The SBU Security Service of Ukraine together with the Chief Military Prosecutor's Office prevented an assassination attempt on Interior Minister of Ukraine Arsen Avakov and a series of other assassinations in Kyiv and Kharkiv, the SBU press secretary Olena Hytlianska said.

Photo from UNIAN
Law enforcement agents have carried out a special operation on exposing a criminal group that has been preparing assassination attacks on high-ranking police officers, MPs, businessmen and volunteers.

One of the group founders – leader of Slobozhanshchyna battalion - was arrested in Kharkiv today.

The investigation is being conducted in the framework of criminal proceedings under Article 115 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (premeditated murder). Searches are carried out in places of deployment of the unit the suspect belongs to and of his residence.

A source in the Prosecutor's Office told UNIAN that the arrested man is a police captain. Measures are being taken to arrest other group members. The source informed that the attackers were also plotting the murder of people's deputy, Azov battalion commander Andriy Biletsky.

 

[Hindustani78]

Press ATU headquarters reports that last day was not completely calm in the area ATO. Despite the truce, which followed almost warring parties along the entire boundary, near Donetsk continue ongoing shelling our positions.

Thus, the evening of September 11 were the most active militants in the area questionnaire and south of Avdeevki.Yesterday, around 18 th and 20 th hour of the gang grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms fired on the strongholds of forces ATU near Avdeevka.

Also around 18:00 under enemy fire grenades and small arms were greeted Ukrainian position in the questionnaire.Overall, during the September 11 illegal armed groups violated 5 times silence mode.And today, September 12, from midnight to 6 am in the area ATO attacks were not.

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the elite Mariupol defense bridgehead. They - Marines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.Now these brave men are the most difficult parts of the defense sector. Every day lull Marines use to improve their combat skills. Boys learn to repel the attacks of the enemy, occupy a position to support each other's fire.

The exercise all Marines both in real combat. From teams to engage targets.In the arsenal of modern Ukrainian Marines are many powerful weapons. However, the main they find mutual support, mutual commitment and Ukraine. Words military oath to these men not some formality, and earnestly holidays oath.

At the military training ground in Mykolaiv wide Lan completed the special training of tactical units of the Operational Command "South.During the exercises personnel, including those called up during the partial mobilization of the military, worked question of efficiency of management and cooperation between military units. Particular attention was paid to the state of preparation techniques, weapons, equipment engineering, moral and psychological state of troops and logistics units during the execution of educational tasks.At the final stage held tactical exercises with live fire classes.

The ability to hit targets competed artillery, tanks, infantry and more.For working on the interaction on the battlefield, the exercises activated, including reactive artillery, multiple rocket launcher BM-21 "Grad", self-propelled artillery, combat aircraft consisting Su-25, Mi-8 and Mi-24. It should be noted that the action did not stop units and at night.

However, despite this, the personnel continued to operate smoothly and clearly. The exercise was also attended by volunteers anticrisis psychological service representatives Council- editor Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.During the wrap-up action units operational command "South" highly appreciated the higher command of the Armed Forces stolen.

 

[Hindustani78]

According to the press-center headquarters of the antiterrorist operation in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, at the end of yesterday's day the enemy continued to provoke Ukrainian military.

Thus, the 18 hours until midnight, attacks by illegal armed groups have experienced our position in Artemovsk direction.21 hours with heavy machine guns fired on militants strongholds of forces ATO located near the village Zaitsev, and at 22.50 Ukrainian shelled positions close of May, while using small arms.Generally, during yesterday's day, three gang violated the truce.From midnight to 6 am on September 13, along the entire boundary kept silence.

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Lost again? Two Russians detained in Luhansk region - read on - uatoday.tv

Kremlin says the men were abducted

State Border Guard Service of Ukraine detained two Russian citizens dressed in military uniform without insignia.

The Russians were arrested on September 12 near Milove village in Luhansk region.

"One of them had the internal Russian passport, and the other - the military card, according to which the detainee is a Russian soldier from the Voronezh region," says a report of Ukraine's Border Guard Service.

The incident is being investigated by Ukraine's State Security Service and the Interior Ministry.

Commenting on the case, Russian officials claimed the men were abducted from the Russian territory.

Russian media report that Viktor Barsukov together with his civilian brother were captured in the border town of Chertkovo in Rostov region and then transported to the Ukrainian side.

Both border villages, Ukraine's Milove and Russia's Chertkovo, are located some 100 kilometers away from east Ukraine's frontlines.

 

[T-55]

 

[Hindustani78]

Signs of slight escalation of situation in east of Ukraine | Міністерство оборони України
Monday, September 14. DONBAS — According to the press centre of the ‘anti-terror’ operation (ATO), from 06:00 p.m. to 00:00, on September 13, the illegal armed formations activated attacks in Artemivsk direction. They shelled the Ukrainian positions with machineguns, grenade launchers and small arms.

Totally, over the past 24 hours the pro-Russian militants violated the ceasefire for 8 times.

The situation is stable from 00:00 to 06:00 a.m., Sept. 14.

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Monday, September 14. DONBAS — The Ukrainian recon servicemen found and destroyed a mine field near Hnutove village (Mariupol region, Donetsk oblast). According to servicemen, highly professional specialists laid this field. It was combined and consisted of AP and AT mines. By the way, the AP mines are prohibited by the international conventions.

It is worth mentioning the Ukrainian engineers do not have such munitions! Ukraine joined the international conventions on prohibition of some armaments and munitions.

Totally, the Ukrainian EOD specialists neutralized 14 various mines. Other munitions were destroyed by special equipment.

In Mariupol bridgehead armored divisions continue to improve their skills. After inspection and repair techniques tankers completed a series of exercises on tactics and fire training. And how were shooting from a place and in motion. Elements worked settle not only the individual crews, but also entire armored divisions.

Now all combat vehicles withdrawn from the line of demarcation agreement on fixed Minsk distance. However, tankers emphasize that at the first provocation, the flow of the senior management team, they quickly take their fighting positions and will fight back to the enemy.

Two Ukrainian soldiers killed, one MIA in Donbas in last day : UNIAN news
14.09.2015
Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and another one missed in action (MIA) in the Donbas conflict zone in the last 24 hours, presidential administration spokesman for the Anti-Terrorist Operation Colonel Andriy Lysenko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

REUTERS
"In the last day, we lost two Ukrainian soldiers. Another two were injured and one MIA as a result of military clashes," Lysenko said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine eight times overnight.

 

[T-55]