Civil war in Ukraine: News & discussion

[Hindustani78]

Enemy observes ceasefire | Міністерство оборони України
Monday, October 05. DONBAS — Yesterday, the enemy observed the ceasefire in the region. Meanwhile, the illegal armed formations made some provocations with automatic grenade launchers near Hranitne.

The actual absence of attacks permits to realize social and humanitarian works. CIMIC group renews water supply and repairs roads. CIMIC officers delivered 5 tons of coal to Aleksiyvka village (Donetsk oblast).

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Monday, October 05. DONBAS — Specialists carry out works regarding search, exhumation and transportation of bodies of the fallen Ukrainian soldiers. The representatives of the National Military Historical Museum of Ukraine found a body of fallen soldier.

According to Lt. Col. Oleksandr Hvozdkov, Chief of CIMIC Group, a serviceman died from a direct hit of the enemy’s heavy artillery into a protective facility. The experts transported the body to Dnipropetrovsk for expertise and identification.

Monday, October 05. DONBAS – According to the agreements, the Ukrainian Armed Forces started practical phase of withdrawal of tanks and artillery with a caliber of less than 100 mm. Tank units in Luhansk oblast are the first to withdraw weapons. Ukrainian servicemen withdraw T-64 and T-72 tanks, 85 mm artillery guns and 82 mm mortars. The actions of the Ukrainian party are monitored by the OSCE representatives.

Two Ukrainian soldiers killed, five wounded in landmine blast in Donbas : UNIAN news

Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and another five were wounded in a landmine blast on Sunday evening while patrolling their sector in the Donbas conflict zone, representative of the Donbas Battalion Yevhen Shevchenko said on Monday, according to Ukrainian TV Channel 112.

Photo from mil.gov.ua
"The soldiers who came to their rescue also got blown up by a landmine. Two or three soldiers from the 37th battalion were wounded. One our soldier and one theirs died. In addition, five soldiers were injured, two of them are from the Donbas Battalion, and another three are soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," Shevchenko said.

According to him, the condition of one of the wounded soldiers from the Donbas Battalion is serious, but there is no threat to his life. The other has minor injuries.

"An enemy sabotage and reconnaissance group seems to have worked at our positions, directly behind the demarcation line," Shevchenko said.

Presidential administration for Anti-Terrorist Operation issues Andriy Lysenko reported on Sunday that two Ukrainian servicemen had been wounded after stepping on a booby trap in the ATO zone.

Ukrainian army reports beginning of armored vehicles, light weapons withdrawal in Luhansk region

The withdrawal of armored vehicles and weapons with calibers under 100mm began in Luhansk region on Monday, press officer of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO_)in Donbas Ruslan Tkachuk said.

"A message signaling the withdrawal of armored vehicles and armaments to a distance of 15 kilometers from the contact line was received by Ukrainian Armed Forces units stationed in Sector A in the morning of October 5. So, the synchronous withdrawal of T-64 and T-72 tanks from the frontline and, in some areas, of 85mm D-48 and D-44 anti-tank guns and 82mm 2B-9 mortars began in Luhansk region at 11 a.m. today. The entire action was coordinated with members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission. Media representatives are at work," says a report posted on the official website of Tkachuk.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said after the October 2 negotiations in Paris that Ukraine would start the withdrawal of weapons smaller than 100mm in caliber from the contact line in Donbas on October 3. He said the 'Normandy format' leaders had agreed on withdrawing light weapons within 41 days.

Preparations started on October 3. For instance, lists of armaments due to be pulled back from the contact line to distances of at least 15 kilometers were drawn up and harmonized with members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission.

The army operation press center said on October 4 that the end of hostilities and direct shelling incidents make it possible to launch the scheduled withdrawal of hardware and armaments under 100mm in caliber.

Before the withdrawal actually started, the conflicting sides had submitted to the OSCE the lists of their armaments and hardware to be moved to designated areas at least 15 kilometers away from the contact line.

 

[vostok]

Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine cooperates with ISIS (eng subs)

 

[Hindustani78]

Ukraine says four soldiers wounded in rebel attack despite truce| Reuters

The Ukrainian military said on Wednesday pro-Russian separatists had violated a ceasefire in the east of the country by firing an anti-tank missile and wounding four soldiers, even as President Petro Poroshenko hailed a "real truce".

The ceasefire has been holding in recent weeks and an agreement to extend a pullback of weapons from the frontline has spurred hopes for the fragile peace process.

"Today illegal armed groups, cynically ignoring the peace agreements, violated the ceasefire ... The fighters carried out an attack with an anti-tank missile," the Ukrainian military said in a Facebook post.

The attack undermines earlier comments by Poroshenko, who said the recent lull in fighting heralded a new phase in Ukraine's efforts to quell the separatist uprising.

"We managed to pause the hot phase of the conflict. The main thing is that we managed to cease hostilities ... It is not just a ceasefire already. It is a real truce," he said in a speech to a military academy in Kiev.

However he did caution that the conflict, in which more than 8,000 people have died since April 2014, was not over.

"It is somewhat a new reality, but you should stay on your guard, victory is still far away. We must not only return the Donbass (east Ukraine) but also defend the whole of Ukraine," he said.

Separatists did not immediately respond to Kiev's accusation but they have reported occasional violations of the ceasefire from the Ukrainian side in the past two weeks.

(Reporting by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Gareth Jones)

 

[Hindustani78]

Two Ukrainian soldiers wounded in Donbas conflict zone in last day : UNIAN news

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 Friday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

mil.gov.ua
"Over the last day, we haven't lost any Ukrainian soldiers, but two were injured as a result of stepping on a landmine in Yasynuvata district of Donetsk region and near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska," Lysenko said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on October 7, no Ukrainian soldiers were killed but four were wounded in the Donbas conflict zone.

 

[Hindustani78]

Press ATU headquarters reports that allegations about militants allegedly tank shelling today, October 10, Ukrainian military Donetsk is an outright lie.Such statements opposing sides trying to hide their provocation.

In particular, today about 13 hours militants opened fire with small arms in the direction of our strong point near the village of Berdyansk, Mariupol that direction.Unlike fighters who regularly carry out armed provocations on the contact line and do the obstacles in the international observers of the OSCE mission, force ATO fully perform agreements and Minsk are most open to representatives of Observation Mission.

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Absolutely calm 24 hrs in Donbas : UNIAN news

The situation in the Donbas conflict was absolutely calm in the last day, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) wrote on Facebook on Saturday.

dpsu.gov.ua
"The combined Russian-separatist forces didn't attack Ukrainian army positions and complied with the ceasefire. There were no cases of opening fire near the demarcation line," the report says.

It is noted that, using the ceasefire, the ATO forces are carrying out fortification work on the defense lines and help the residents of Donbas to restore the region.

"Every day, in every direction, the groups of officers of civil-military cooperation study the urgent problems of the population, involve means of volunteers, international charitable organizations, and public funding to rebuild infrastructure," the press center said.

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Hrytsak: 153 Ukrainians still held captive by Russian proxies : UNIAN news

As of today, 153 Ukrainians are being held captive by the combined Russian-separatist forces, while 801 are missed in action (MIA), Chairman of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine Vasyl Hrytsak said in an interview with journalists at the training center of the SBU in Kyiv region on Saturday.

REUTERS
"As of today, 153 Ukrainians are being held captive by the militants, while 801 are MIAs," he said.

At the same time, he expressed hope that the Ukrainian side would be able to release the prisoners in the near future.

"The talks for the release of prisoners continue every day. Today, three our officers are on the demarcation line. This morning, one volunteer went to negotiate in Donetsk. I hope these talks will be successful," Hrytsak said.

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Poroshenko: More than 93,000 soldiers took part in hostilities : UNIAN news

More than 93,000 participants of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) took part in hostilities and have the right to receive the relevant status, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said during the All-Ukrainian Forum of ATO participants on Saturday.

REUTERS
"Almost 108,000 people are now involved in ATO. More than 93,000 are direct participants in hostilities and are entitled to receive the relevant status. A total of 90% of them have already taken advantage of this right and received certificates of combatants," he said.

The President also said that the military budget for 2016 would provide a significant increase in cash security of Ukrainian military.

According to Poroshenko, a total of 210,000 Ukrainians came for military service during six waves of mobilization.

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There are some 200 militant training bases in Ukraine - Ukraine's State Security Service - watch on - uatoday.tv

Russian-led militants train snipers, tank mechanics and artillery targeting specialists

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) chief Vasyl Hrytsak says there are almost 200 militant training bases operating in Ukraine.

Hrytsak says that the so-called Donetsk People's Republic accommodates 58 militant training bases, whereas there are 53 such bases the neighboring self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic 53.

More than two dozen militant training bases are located in Ukraine's Crimea annexed by Russia, and one base is located in the Russia-backed breakaway region of Transnistria.

There are also bases in Russia-backed Abkhazia, with the remainder in Russia's Rostov region, which shares a border with Ukraine.

Hrytsak explains that some of these bases specialize in training snipers, tank mechanics, armoured personnel carrier drivers, and artillery targeting spotters.

"We know who head these divisions," the SBU head sead.

According to the SBU data, currently there are 153 Ukrainians are held in captivity by Russian-led militants.

"153 Ukrainians are held in militant captivity, while 801 Ukrainians are considered missing," Hrytsak reported.

 

[Hindustani78]

Russian proxies resort to several armed provocations overnight : UNIAN news

The situation in the Donbas conflict was rather calm in the last day, but the combined Russian-separatist forces made several armed provocations, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) wrote on Facebook on Monday.

REUTERS
"At 22:55 Kyiv time, the mercenaries started firing on our positions near the village of Shyrokyne. At 00:35 and 00:37, they started firing small arms on our positions near the village of Novotroitske," the report says.

Adhering to the Minsk agreements, the Ukrainian Armed Forces didn't return fire, the headquarters said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on October 10, no Ukrainian soldiers were killed or injured in the Donbas conflict zone. Near the village of Berdianske not far from Mariupol, the militants were firing small arms in the direction of a Ukrainian fortified position, but the Ukrainian troops did not respond.
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Cache with weapons discovered in Luhansk region - SBU : UNIAN news


The Security Service of Ukraine reported on discovering together with police of a cache with an arsenal of weapons in the village of Sirotino in eastern Ukrainian Luhansk region.

Law enforcement officers found a cache with weapons / sbu.gov.ua
It is noted that the hideout, arranged in an abandoned building near one of the recreation centers, held an anti-tank mounted grenade launcher with 21 grenades, three Kalashnikov rifles, two automatic grenade launchers with 200 grenades, a heavy machine gun, another Kalashnikov machine gun, eight portable anti-tank grenade launchers, 16 hand grenades, two land mines, two optical sights for grenade launchers, about 5,000 cartridges of various calibers and other military equipment.

Law enforcers are investigating the fact, seeking to identify those involved in the illegal possession of weapons / sbu.gov.ua
"Law enforcers are working to identify those involved in the illegal possession of weapons," said the statement of the SBU press service.

sbu.gov.ua
As UNIAN reported earlier, on October 7, aerial reconnaissance of the Dnipro-1 Regiment identified military hardware of the Russian-terrorist forces.

Screenshot
In particular, 16 tanks at the base outside the village of Solntsevo were spotted, as well as four Ural trucks for munitions transportation, and five D-30 howitzers near the village of Bohdanivka.

 

[Hindustani78]

Soldier killed in east Ukraine, minister blames rogue group| Reuters


A Ukrainian serviceman was killed and two wounded in separatist eastern regions despite a ceasefire deal, Ukraine's defense minister said on Wednesday, suggesting a rogue group not controlled by rebel authorities could be behind the attack.

The truce has been largely holding since the start of September, allowing the two sides to extend a pull-back of weapons and raising hopes for the fragile peace process.

The attack, the first in several weeks to result in a fatality on the Ukrainian side, took place on Tuesday when separatists fired grenade launchers at Ukrainian forces, Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak said.

"We're finding out exactly what happened. On the other side there are people who aren't controlled by the leadership of the so-called DNR and LNR (self-proclaimed separatist republics), therefore our representative and the Russian representative are checking the facts. Only after that will a decision be taken on our further actions," he said.

The withdrawal of weapons from the frontline was agreed on condition both sides fully respect the ceasefire.

Fighting between Ukrainian government forces and the separatists in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions has killed more than 8,000 people since mid-April 2014. Russia denies Western and Kiev's charges of direct involvement in the conflict.

(Reporting by Natalia Zinetrs; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

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Wednesday, October 14. DONBAS – According to the press centre of the ‘anti-terror’ operation, the situation is stable in the region. Meanwhile, yesterday the militants performed provocations and shelled the Ukrainian positions with grenade launchers near Avdiyvka. One serviceman is killed and two servicemen are wounded. The Ukrainian party reported about this event to the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission and JCCC.

 

[T-55]

 

[Hindustani78]

Випробувальний політ за участю Президента - YouTube

 

[Enver Paşa]

The Russian criminal gang around putin the maniac acting arrogantly in Syria to help Asad the murderer while their own thugs in east ukraine spread terror against civilians.

 

[Hindustani78]

Practical phase of Polish-Ukrainian exercise is over

Thursday, October 15. IVANO-FRANKIVSK — The participants of exercise increase interoperability while working out air safety operations; accomplish joint tasks in the regional collective security. The flying crews share experience and enhance their practical skills.

The AF aviation and air defence units of both countries work out security tasks and actions in case of terror actions, etc.

Six aircrafts and helicopters of the Ukrainian AF and one Polish AF airlifter are involved in the exercise.

Remains of three Ukrainian soldiers found in Donetsk airport
: UNIAN news

The remains of three Ukrainian military have been found шn the territory of еру Donetsk airport, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) wrote on Facebook on Thursday.

REUTERS
"Black Tulip, a Ukrainian volunteer organization, continues to search for the remains of the fallen troops in the ATO zone. Participants of "Evacuation-200" operation, with the assistance of the Civil military cooperation were able to carry out search operations in the territory of Donetsk airport. As a result, they discovered the remains of three Ukrainian soldiers and sent them for DNA identification," the press center said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, there were no violations of the Minsk agreements in ATO zone in last day, which made it possible to continue equipping positions, prepare military hardware and weapons for the withdrawal from the demarcation line under the Minsk accords.

 

[Hindustani78]

Militants violate ceasefire, two Ukrainian soldiers wounded : UNIAN news

Militants have been provoking the Ukrainian troops in Donbas on October 17, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation.

REUTERS
Two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded as a result of militants opening fire from small arms on Ukrainian positions near the villages of Pisky and Shyrokine on October 17, according to Colonel Oleksandr Motuzianyk, President's envoy for ATO issues who spoke at a briefing on Sunday.

Oleksandr Motuzianyk also said the Ukrainian border guards have recorded two enemy drones along the line of contact. Two border guards noticed the enemy's UAV on the administrative border between Kherson region and temporarily occupied territory of Crimea.

Motuzyanik also noted that the combined military-law enforcement mobile groups detained two vehicles with illegal cargo at a Zaitseve checkpoint and another four vehicles with contraband near Alexandropol and Novotroitske in Donetsk region.

"At the same time, the Ukrainian military ensured passage through Novotroitske checkpoints of seven truckloads with humanitarian aid from the International Committee of the Red Cross," said Colonel Motuzianyk.

The Ukrainian military have been fortifying their positions, preparing equipment and weapons for the winter. Landmine clearance experts have not stopped their work. "Over the past week alone, they have cleared more than 100 mines and explosive objects that were planted in civilian facilities," reads the statement of the ATO press center.

Against the background of statements by the self-proclaimed leaders of the so-called "DPR-LPR" on postponement of the sham elections in the mythical "People's Republics", and also tough measures imposed by the Russian curators against leaders of local armed gangs who disagree with the ideology of the Minsk agreements, panic among local militants has been observed.

"Many of those who participated in the armed conflict, nurture intentions to move to Russia along with their families, for permanent residence; while those whose hands are not stained with blood get rid of their weapons," the press center says.

 

[TaiShang]

As it should be.

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Oxford’s new geography textbook names Crimea as part of Russia

One of the world’s leading academic publishers, Oxford University Press, has apparently recognized Crimea as a part of Russia under international law.
RT.COM

 

[Hindustani78]

One Ukrainian soldier killed, another wounded in Donbas in last day : UNIAN news
20.10.2015 | 15:01

One Ukrainian soldier was killed and another one was wounded in the Donbas conflict zone in the last day, presidential administration press secretary for Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) issues Colonel Oleksandr Motuzianyk said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

REUTERS
"There were no militant attacks on our positions in the last day. In addition, the Ukrainian army didn't record overflights by enemy drones in Donbas," Motuzianyk said.

"However, one soldier was killed and another one was wounded in the village of Novotroitske in Donetsk region as a result of stepping on an explosive device," he said.

 

[Hindustani78]

One Ukrainian soldier wounded in Donbas conflict zone in last day : UNIAN news

No Ukrainian soldiers were killed but one was wounded in the Donbas conflict zone over the last 24 hours, head of the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters, Colonel Oleksandr Motuzianyk said at a briefing on Thursday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

REUTERS
"Over the last day, we haven't lost any Ukrainian soldiers, but one was injured as a result of stepping on a landmine near the town of Zolote in Luhansk region," Motuzianyk said.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the situation was calm in the Donbas conflict zone overnight, which enabled the Ukrainian military to continue withdrawing small-caliber weapons from the demarcation line.

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OSCE: One DPR militant killed in 'exchange of fire' near Donetsk airport : UNIAN news
The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine has reported on a cross shootout between the combined Russian-separatist forces and the Ukrainian military near Donetsk airport.

Photo from UNIAN
"At the Joint Centre for Control and Co-ordination (JCCC) observation post at Donetsk railway station ("Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR")-controlled, 6km north-west of Donetsk), the SMM heard a total of 28 explosions and two single small-arms shots 3-5km north-north-east, west and north-north-west of the observation post in what a Ukrainian Armed Forces officer and a Russian Federation Armed Forces officer at the JCCC described as an exchange of fire in the area of the Volvo Centre ("DPR"-controlled, 12km west-north-west of Donetsk)," the OSCE SMM said on October 21 in its update based on information as of 19:30 local time on October 20.

At 13:05 Kyiv time, another Russian Federation Armed Forces JCCC officer told the SMM that as a result of this exchange, a "DPR" member was killed and another one was injured.

"The SMM was unable to immediately visit the location of the incident, due to security concerns. At 13:28 local time, two vehicles arrived in the observation post parking area and a "DPR" member showed the SMM the body of a young man, who the "DPR" member claimed had been killed in the alleged exchange of fire… A short while later, two other vehicles with four armed "DPR" members arrived at the parking lot and one of them became verbally aggressive towards the SMM," the report says.

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Russian-led militant kills local resident near Maryinka - Tymchuk - read on - uatoday.tv
A local resident, who has been trying to leave the temporarily occupied territory in Donbas, has been shot dead by one of Russian-backed militants at a checkpoint of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) near the village of Oleksandrivka not far from the town of Maryinka in Donetsk region, head of the Information Resistance Group and MP Dmytro Tymchuk wrote on Facebook on Thursday, October 22.

"A local resident, who was trying to leave the temporarily occupied territory, was shot dead at a DPR-controlled checkpoint near the village of Oleksandrivka. The DPR's leaders have forbidden covering this incident in the media. The 'official' reason for a terrorist's using weapons was an alleged attack by the civilian," Tymchuk said.