Civil war in Ukraine: News & discussion

[Hindustani78]

http://uatoday.tv/society/russian-proxies-suffer-losses-number-of-attacks-decrease-map-828108.html
Russia-backed militants attacked from all directions, but the level of hostilities decreased

Russian proxies attacked Ukrainian positions and government-held settlements only 15 times during the last day, which indicates decreasing of the level of hostilities in Donbas, Ukrainian Anti-Terrorist Operation HQ reports. But it doesn't mean the war is over.

Spokesman for the Defence Ministry of Ukraine Col. Andriy Lysenko specified: "yesterday's enemy combat activity was slightly lower than in previous days", but at least few attacks were noted on each direction.

The biggest number of militant's attacks ten reported on Mariupol direction. Russian proxies shelled Ukrainian positions with mortars (40 hits reported), armour and light weapons.


Three attacks noted in Luhansk sector. Militants used mortars and anti-air guns.

Two more attacks noted near Donetsk.

"Just after midnight, militants conducted a mortar attack near the Donetsk airport, firing more than 10 shells. And after sunset silence was broken in Avdiyivka – where gunmen fired at the positions of Ukrainian defenders with small arms and grenade launchers of different systems for nearly half an hour. Our military opened fire in response," Col. Lysenko explained.

Russia-backed militants attacked from all directions, but the level of hostilities decreased

During the last day no Ukrainian soldier reported KIA, two fighters were wounded.

Meanwhile, "in the past 3 days the enemy suffered serious losses," Defence Intelligence reports. 11 militants were killed during the unsuccessful attacks of Avdiyivka industrial zone. Another 3 dead reported in the Lugansk area.

Also militants suffer from regular incidents of uncontrolled explosions of defective ammunition – as in training, in a combat zone. "Over the past three months five occupiers were killed, more than 20 were wounded during the transportation of shells and mines to the front," Intel reports. Also yesterday the explosion of 120mm mortar reported near the Donetsk airport. Three militants died during the incident, five more were wounded.

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http://uatoday.tv/crime/militant-ex-leader-confirms-russian-proxies-shelling-of-luhansk-835593.html

Today's chief of ‘Luhansk republic' Plotnitsky blamed responsible for provocative shelling of the city


The current leader of the Luhansk-based militants Igor Plotnitsky mysteriously appeared in occupied Luhansk and his battalion deliberately shelled residential areas of the city, fugitive ex-leader of the so-called ‘Luhansk republic' Valery Bolotov stated in an interview with "Rosbalt" agency. He specified: battalion "Zarya", commanded by Plotnitsky, made provocations and fire raids on Luhansk in the summer of 2014.

Being asked about militant shelling of the civilians in Luhansk, Bolotov assured, that it's true, but he is not responsible for those crimes, because Plotnitsky's unit wasn't acting by itself.

"Yes. And not only ‘Zarya' (shelled Luhansk – UT). It was noticed to many people who were supposed to commit acts of sabotage and degrade discipline. I once ordered Plotnitsky to assemble the battalion for the protection of law and order in the city, combat tasks and and protection of borders of the ‘Luhansk people's republic'. However, as it turned out, the battalion ‘worked' with another aim. I tried, but I did not have the time, resources, and opportunities to be around all the time, and set the control of those people. I trusted Plotnitsky, and he formed a battalion ‘for himself'. These Plotnitsky's people were following his orders, not mine," fugitive militant chief said.

Bolotov also said, that he is now living in Moscow because Plotnitsky made a coup against him, presented as ‘elections.'

"When I left (for Moscow – UT), I appointed him as my deputy. Naturally, all the circumstances of my departure I just can't tell, while I was away, he quickly held ‘elections'. And it was clear beforehand that Plotnitsky would be elected," the militant said.

As UT reported, earlier Belarusian, who fought in Donbas in militant ranks, told media that Plotnitsky ordered the shelling of Luhansk.


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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/389754.html

Two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the Donbas Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) zone, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Andriy Lysenko said.

"No Ukrainian servicemen died but two suffered injuries in the hostilities over the past day," Lysenko told a press briefing in Kyiv on Friday.

In the Luhansk sector, the hostiles conducted three attacks on Ukrainian army positions, he said. Two mortar attacks were observed east of Popasna, and a third attack employing an anti-aircraft gun was seen near the village of Lobacheve.

According to Lysenko, the hostiles fired ten mortar mines near the Donetsk airport area in the Donetsk sector, and Ukrainian army positions in Avdiyivka experienced a 90-minute attack using small arms and grenade launchers, he said.

In the Mariupol sector, the hostiles fired mortars in the Vodiane-Shyrokyne sector.

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[Hindustani78]

http://uatoday.tv/crime/pro-russia-militants-keep-destroying-ukrainian-towns-844143.html

11:41 Dec. 10, 2016
Military clashes reported in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions


The Russian-backed separatist forces attacked the positions of Ukrainian soldiers 31 times in the past 24 hours, Kyiv reported on December 10.

Using high-caliber artillery and assault weapons, the militants shelled numerous areas both in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

They continued their attacks on the government-controlled Avdiivka, neighboring Donetsk, firing with grenade launchers and machine guns.

The Mariupol sector, which has been an area of fiery clashes for months, saw its share of violence again, as the surrounding towns and villages were pounded by the combatants.

They shelled the already devastated sea resort Shyrokyne for more than 10 times. A sniper and a 122-mm and 82-mm artillery kept the government forces busy, according to the report.

The same artillery was used to attack Ukraine's servicemen in other villages in the sector.

The situation was just as intense in the Luhansk region, where the Russian-backed separatists used various grenade launchers and assault rifles to attack villages such as Stanytsia Luhansk, where the planned withdrawal of troops still hasn't happed due to constant ceasefire violations.

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http://www.unian.info/war/1672261-ukraine-reports-1-wia-in-past-24-hours.html

One Ukrainian soldier was wounded in fighting in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, according to Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman for Anti-Terrorist Operation Andriy Lysenko.


"There was one wounded in action (WIA)," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Saturday, an UNIAN correspondent reported.

As UNIAN reported earlier, combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 31 times in the past 24 hours.

 

[Hindustani78]

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13:28
Kyiv records 70 shell attacks on Ukrainian military positions in Donbas in 24 hours

15:22
DPR records nearly 3,000 Ukrainian shell attacks in past 24 hours

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2016/12/12/situation-update-east-of-ukraine-as-of-december-12-2016/

Monday, December 12. DONBAS — According to the press centre of the ‘anti-terror’ operation (ATO) HQ, the enemy has violated the ceasefire for 51 times over the past 24 hours.

The enemy used 122 mm artillery and mortars against Talakivka, Marinka, Krasnohorivka, Novoselivka Druha, Chermalyk, Lebedynske, and Vodyane. An enemy’s sniper targeted the ATO positions near Krasnohorivka. Militants shelled Shyrokyne with mortars, BMP, and tank armament.

Occupants fired mortars on Balka Kosharna, Popasna, and Krymske.

The Russian occupational troops shelled Troitske, Opytne, and Avdiivka with 120 mm mortars, Luhanske with grenade launchers, BMP armament, and heavy machineguns.

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12/12

15:36
Three servicemen wounded in Donbas in past 24 hours - Ukrainian Defense Ministry

15:05
NTV journalists come under fire in Donbas, none hurt

10:51
Ukrainian army reports 51 attacks on its positions in Donbas

11:36
Kyiv refuses to discuss disengagement in area of settlement of Trekhizbenka - LPR

 

[Hindustani78]

http://uatoday.tv/politics/how-russian-instigated-war-ravages-volatile-donbas-845703.html

10:45 Dec. 13, 2016
Militants keep shelling government forces, OSCE spotted combatants from Russia

Ukrainian military representatives said on Tuesday that the Russian-backed separatist forces violated the ceasefire in the Donbas warzone 42 times in the past 24 hours.

Battles were registered in all directions of the volatile conflict zone.

The militants numerously shelled the Mariupol sector with 120-mm and 82-mm mortars, targeting neighboring towns and villages, such as Krasnohorivka, Shyrokyne and Pavlopil.

A sniper was shooting at Ukrainian soldiers, deployed in the area.

The Luhansk region took it just as hard, with the Russian-backed forces using mortars, grenade launchers and assault weapons to shell the villages of Krymske, Zolote, Lopaskine and many others.

The government-controlled Avdiivka and Mariinka, located near the separatist capital Donetsk, were ravaged by attacks once again.

Russian citizens continue to take part in the military conflict in eastern Ukraine. On December 9, the OSCE monitors, patrolling the area near the Azov sea, were approached by a civilian vehicle with Russian Federation license plates, carrying four armed men dressed as military, a report says. Two of them said they were Russian citizens.

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http://uatoday.tv/society/ukrainian...ion-of-cooperation-with-militants-845843.html

Senior military officer was released this summer after having spent 2 years in occupied Donbas

UPDATE: Ukraine's SBU security service claims Colonel Ivan Bezyazykov was recruited by Russia's secret services during his ‘captivity' in the Donbas warzone.

According to Oleksandr Tkachuk, the SBU Chief of Staff, the senior officer had a Russian military uniform, a service pistol, military ID and even a personal driver.

While staying in the occupied territories he, allegedly, travelled to Russia's Rostov-on-Don several times to receive instructions from Russian military command.

The SBU representative explained that information on Bezyazykov emerged from questioning of other former prisoners of war.

STORY: Ukrainian colonel, a military intelligence officer Ivan Bezyazykov, who was freed from militant captivity in summer 2016, has been detained on suspicion of collaboration with Donetsk People's Republic terrorist organization.

The news was reported by Ukrainian Hromadske media, referring to the serviceman's wife Margaryta Kushnirova.

According to her, Bezyazykov was detained by four plain-clothed persons, who produced a search warrant.

"While in captivity he joined the illegal armed gang and served as a deputy chief of the first intelligence department of the self-proclaimed DPR," the warrant said.

Computers, tablets, memory cards, cameras and mobile phones were seized from Bezyazykov's home. Currently, he is in pretrial detention facility, where the colonel was granted the state attorney.

Bezyazykov's wife is sure her husband is not guilty:

"Yes, they [militants] suggested he cooperate and attempted to recruit him, but he would not agree. Everyone knew that, because he mentioned it after he had been released," she said.

As Ukraine Today reported earlier, Colonel Ivan Bezyazykov had been freed after two years in a militant prison on July 5, 2016 as a result of a successful special operation by Ukraine's SBU security service. Yet details of the operation have never been made public.

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http://uatoday.tv/crime/27-ukraine-soldiers-defected-to-enemy-since-2014-sbu-says-845903.html

Since the beginning of the conflict, 27 Ukrainian servicemen decided to switch sides and join the Russian-backed separatist forces, after they were captured in Donbas, SBU Chief of Staff Oleksandr Tkachuk said in a statement on December 13, 2016.


These 27 soldiers now fight in the conflict zone alongside the militants against their former colleagues from Ukraine's armed forces.

The news arrives shortly after the SBU has accused Ukrainian colonel Ivan Bezyazykov, who was earlier freed from captivity, of working for the Donbas separatists.

The SBU says it also questioned 1402 Ukrainian soldiers, who had lived through Donbas prisons, and they admitted the militants had tried to torture them into the cooperation.

63 of them said they had consented to work with the Russian Special services, apparently promising to provide information from the government-controlled parts of Ukraine, but voluntarily informed the SBU of the fact upon their return from the conflict zone. These soldiers were freed of any charges.


The SBU also informed it had prevented 76 incidents when Russian intelligence officers or the Donbas militants recruited Ukrainian servicemen, saying none of the indoctrinated soldiers was able to pass any relevant information to their curators.

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http://www.unian.info/war/1675516-ukraine-reports-42-attacks-in-donbas-in-last-day.html

Combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 42 times in the past 24 hours, according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.


In the Mariupol sector, the occupiers used banned 120mm and 82mm mortars to shell the town of Krasnohorivka, and the villages of Talakivka and Shyrokyne. They also repeatedly fired grenades launchers on the town of Maryinka. Additionally, a sniper was active in the villages of Shyrokyne and Pavlopil.


In the Luhansk sector, Russia's hybrid military force fired mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms on the town of Zolote, and the villages of Krymske, Novo-Oleksandrivka, Novozvanivka, Lopaskyne, Troyitske and Syze. Furthermore, Novozvanivka came under artillery fire.

In the Donetsk sector, the militants fired mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns on the town of Avdiyivka, while rocket-propelled grenades and small arms were used to attack the village of Zaitseve.

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19:47
Russian sentenced to 12 years in prison for participation in hostilities against Ukraine - Kyiv

17:20
Kyiv offers to hold Skype conference of humanitarian subgroup on prisoner swap problem on Dec 14

18:06
DPR says it received no official proposals to hold humanitarian subgroup Skype conference on Dec 14

16:08
Verkhovna Rada Security and Defense Committee asks SBU for info about Savchenko's meeting with Plotnitsky, Zakharchenko

15:58
Peskov does not confirm Utkin who fought in Donbas attended ceremony of honoring Heroes at Kremlin

14:13
Ukrainian colonel detained on suspicion of cooperating with Russian special services - SBU

14:06
DPR observes nearly 860 ceasefire violations by Kyiv

10:10
Ukrainian army positions in Donbas come under 42 attacks in past 24 hours - Kyiv

 

[Hindustani78]

http://uatoday.tv/politics/victims-after-terrorists-shoot-at-mayorsk-checkpoint-846568.html

Russia-backed forces opened fire near the checkpoint Mayorsk. The bullets hit the people, standing in line to pass the control point

One person was killed, one more wounded 50 meters from the checkpoint, reports State Border Service of Ukraine. The incident happened around 9 o'clock in the morning when there were many people waiting to pass to another side.

One man had a head injury and passed away immediately, one more was shot in the shoulder. The checkpoint was closed and people are taken away to a safe place. The wounded civilian received medical help and does not need to be hospitalized.

Overall, Russia-backed forces made 15 shellings during the last 24 hours. They continue to use heavy gauge weapons. This night Shyrokyne and Berdyanske were shelled on the south and Krymske, Luhanske and Novooleksandrivka - at the north.

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http://www.unian.info/war/1678597-ukraine-reports-4-wia-in-past-24-hours.html
Four Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in fighting in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, according to Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman for Anti-Terrorist Operation Andriy Lysenko.


"There were four wounded in action (WIA)," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday, an UNIAN correspondent reported. As UNIAN reported earlier, Combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 15 times in the past 24 hours.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/390715.html
The talks held by Batkivschyna Party deputy Nadia Savchenko with the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk Republics (DPR and LPR), Alexander Zakharchenko and Igor Plotnitsky, will benefit neither her, nor Ukraine, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

"I feel very sorry, given the ordeal this person went through, and I think such steps are benefiting neither her, nor our country," Poroshenko said during his trip to the Ivano-Frankivsk region on Wednesday, when asked by journalists about those talks.

"The actions of people's deputies are the responsibility of the political forces that they were elected to represent," the president said.

Ukraine will continue doing its utmost to secure the return home of the hostages, and one might expect news of their release in the very near future, he said. "I think very soon you will hear very important initiatives on this matter," Poroshenko said.

Earlier Savchenko confirmed that on December 7 she was in Minsk where she met with Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky. She said she acted with the agreement of Ukraine's Security Service and her main goal was to resolve the prisoner exchange issue. She said she sees these talks as the need to broaden 'the Minsk format'.

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20:32
Donbas militia shelling of Ukrainian positions abates, Kyiv says

19:57
Kyiv says Skype conference on prisoner exchange in Donbas didn't take place, suggests holding it on Thursday

19:57
Kyiv says Skype conference on prisoner exchange in Donbas didn't take place, suggests holding it on Thursday

December 14, 2016 18:32
LUHANSK. Dec 14 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian military continue using the ceasefire regime to increase the military potential of their units in Donbas, Andrei Marochko, a representative of the LPR militia, said.

"According to our information, weapons and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were found near the populated area of Belohorivka, Popasna district. Five tanks, one Strela-10 surface-to-air missile system, two infantry combat vehicles and three trucks laden with munitions were spotted at positions near the division line," Marochko told reporters on Wednesday.

According to his information, seven military trucks carrying T-64 tanks have travelled from the city of Lysychansk to the populated area of Gorskoye.

"Additionally, six T-64 tanks were seen near the populated area of Myrna Dolyna," he said.


17:36
One killed, one wounded as Ukrainian soldiers fire at bus near Horlivka - self-proclaimed Donetsk republic (Part 2)

16:49
DPR reports 864 attacks in past 24 hours, militiaman killed

14:36
Four Ukrainian servicemen injured in Donbas in past 24 hours

13:42
Some 11,000 Ukrainian refugees are staying in temporary shelters - Russian interior minister

10:27
Kyiv reports 15 attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas

 

[Hindustani78]

http://uatoday.tv/politics/donetsk-...of-most-ceasefire-violations-osce-847218.html

The hotspots are located near or in civilian areas, where the fighting ruins infrastructure and endangers people's lives


Approximately 50% of all ceasefire violations are reported in the triangle formed by Donetsk Airport, Avdiyivka and Yasynuvata, Alexander Hug, Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine has told a press conference in the occupied Donetsk on December 14, UNIAN reports.

"The OSCE is aware that the situation at the contact line remains very unstable, and we continue to note an unacceptably high number of ceasefire violations along the contact line in the known hotspots," Hug said.

He noted that approximately 50% of all those violations are reported in the triangle formed by Donetsk Airport, Avdiyivka and Yasynuvata. The rest of the violations are registered in the area between Svitlodarsk and Debaltseve, east and northeast of Ukrainian-controlled Mariupol, as well as west and north of Horlivka, and sporadically also in the western part of Luhansk region.

The mentioned hotspots are located near or in civilian areas "where civilians live and work," Hug said. He said that the OSCE SMM patrol had visited the site of shelling at the Mayorsk checkpoint where a man was killed and two more were injured on Wednesday morning. "The patrol of the SMM had been present shortly afterwards on the scene of the incident. It had observed there a dead body of a male civilian in the vicinity of the 'zero' checkpoint of the Ukraine Armed Forces in the Mayorsk crossing area. The body observed by our patrol had a gunshot wound to his head," he said.

The OSCE SMM and its patrols continue to follow up on such reports, including checking in the hospitals where other injured "are allegedly being treated or have been treated," he said.

"The sides must start to undertake measures that will effectively protect civilians. Positions and weapons must be disengaged away from areas where civilians need to cross and move. It is about time that both sides – the so-called "DPR" (self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic) and the Ukraine Armed Forces – understand that weapons don't belong there where civilians move about," Hug said.

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http://uatoday.tv/politics/ukraine-is-ready-to-release-15-detained-militants-847658.html

15 out of 228 detained persons could be pardoned or otherwise released to unblock the process of prisoner exchange, says MP Iryna Gerashchenko


Ukraine can start the exchange of detained people by freeing 15 persons out of the 228, listed by militants. This could be the first step to moving the exchange out of the deadlock.

According to First Vice Speaker of Ukraine's parliament Iryna Gerashchenko, the government plans to release six women and nine men - seriously ill or elderly. One of the detainees is a mother of three children, the smallest is just 18 months old. She was a militant informer, yet Ukraine is ready to do a goodwill gesture and let her go.


Gerashchenko hinted that if the militants want to hand detainees over to some MPs - they are free to do so.


Yuriy Kachanov, Ukrainian Special Service Center for prisoners of war issues, adds that the shortlist was formed also taking into consideration the will of the detainees. Many of them ask not to be handed over to the occupied territories.

On December 7, Ukraine's representatives at the humanitarian group meeting in Minsk proposed to exchange all 228 militants for 52 Ukrainian detainees, held in DNR, along with 6 held in LNR. During the meeting, Gerashchenko was threatened by militants' representatives. They said: "If you want your house to be burned, it will be - by detainees' mothers", quotes Iryna Gerashchenko.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/390873.html


Ukraine is handing over 15 persons from the list to be released, provided by the representatives of separate areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions (ORDLO) in a goodwill gesture. They will be pardoned by the presidential decree, First Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukrainian representative in the humanitarian subgroup Iryna Gerashchenko has said.

"Ukraine is handing over 15 people from the list of 228 people," Gerashchenko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday. Among these, 15 people are seriously ill people and old people and six of them are women, she said.

"These people will be pardoned by a presidential decree or there are other procedural possibilities to hand them over to ensure that the hostage release process is unblocked," Gerashchenko said.

She also said Ukraine is ready to release 228 people from the list provided by some areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which contains some 1,000 people.

"Some 200 of some 1,000 people on this list are impossible to determine. Some names are repeated, there are over 100 people who committed grave crimes, specifically, killings and mass killings, and they are not eligible for amnesty. There are dozens of people there who are unrelated to the Minsk process: thieves and pickpockets, militants' friends. There are also dozens of people who walked free under the 'Savchenko law'... We said we are ready to hand over 228 people," Gerashchenko said.

Gerashchenko said, citing the most recent information obtained by the OSCE as of August 2016, that 58 Ukrainians are still held hostage on the territory of some areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including 52 people in the Donetsk region and six in the Luhansk region.

Yuriy Kochanov, the head of the SBU center on prisoners' release, said Ukraine is ready to hand over a list of 228 people, with the exception of 15, to the relevant pardons commission and to later hand these people over to some areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"The list is formed not only on the basis of indications of procedural status, but with regard for the person invited by that side: whether or not this person wants to be handed over to the uncontrolled territory. Many people from this list refuse such actions," he said

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21:15
Poroshenko, Biden discuss Donbas, Russia sanctions, reforms in Ukraine

21:12
Kyiv reports 17 shell attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas since midnight

News headlines

December 15, 2016 17:08

DPR leader finds it logical to prolong Minsk Agreements to 2017

DONETSK. Dec 15 (Interfax) - The situation on the dividing line in Donbas may be exacerbated at any minute and it would be expedient to prolong the Minsk Agreements to 2017, Alexander Zakharchenko, the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), said.

"This issue has not been on the agenda yet, but [DPR envoy] Denis Vladimirovich Pushilin has reported on the meetings that are planned for 2017. Bearing in mind what is happening now, it would be logical to prolong the agreements to 2017. The situation that is now unfolding in Minsk and on the dividing line may explode at any minute and therefore this issue may cease to be vital," Zakharchenko told a press conference on Thursday.

The DPR is always ready for provocations by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, including during the New Year holidays. "Ukraine likes to go on the offensive during holidays, they have done that on Easter [...] we expect any provocations," he said.

Zakharchenko also said he considers the idea of arming the OSCE mission to be absurd.

The very idea [of arming the OSCE mission] was absolutely absurd, it's quite logical that the OSCE has given up this idea and initially didn't support that [...] The OSCE is only monitoring what is happening and is making it clear that Ukraine needs to talk to us directly," Zakharchenko said.

13:13
DPR doesn't rule out new meetings with Savchenko to discuss prisoner release in Donbas

11:06
Kyiv reports 18 militia attacks on Ukrainian army positions in Donbas

 

[Hindustani78]

http://uatoday.tv/crime/new-escalat...es-attack-with-mortars-and-armour-848138.html
The Russian sponsored forces significantly increased the intensity of attacks on the Ukrainian army positions over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian Anti-Terrorist Operation HQ reports.

According to today's statement, the militants shelled Talakivka and Shyrokyne villages in Mariupol direction with 120 and 82 mm mortars. Village of Vodiane was attacked with BMP (infantry fighting vehicle).

In Donetsk sector militants attacked Luhanske and Avdiyivka using grenade launchers and small arms. Light arms also were used during numerous attacks in Luhansk area. Light armour attack (BTR armoured personnel carrier) is also reported from this area.


"A total of 39 attacks were recorded yesterday. The vast majority of them were committed in Mariupol direction," the report reads.

This morning is also marked with heavy shelling. ATO speaker Leonid Matiukhin told 112 TV channel about 4 mortar raids committed by Russian proxies today. 3 of them reported on Mariupol direction.

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http://www.unian.info/war/1683052-ukraine-reports-1-wia-in-past-24-hours.html
One Ukrainian soldier was wounded in fighting in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, according to Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman for Anti-Terrorist Operation Andriy Lysenko.

"There was one wounded in action (WIA) as a result of militant armed provocation near the village of Stariy Aidar," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Friday, an UNIAN correspondent reported. As UNIAN reported earlier, combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 39 times in the past 24 hours.

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[Hindustani78]

http://www.unian.info/war/1684231-ukraine-reports-2-wia-in-past-day.html

Over the past 24 hours, two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the zone of the Anti-Terrorist Operation, according to Colonel Andriy Lysenko, Defense Ministry spokesman for the ATO.

"In the past day, no troops were killed and two were wounded in a shelling near the village of Nevelske," Lysenko told a Kyiv briefing Saturday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

According to him, over the last 24 hours, militants fired on the positions of the Ukrainian military 96 artillery shells and 383 mortar shells.

In the Lugansk direction, the militants have increased the intensity of shellings in Popasna district and continued military provocations near the village of Luhanske.


Colonel Lysenko added that in this direction the 122mm and 152mm artillery has been involved. A total of 29 mortar shells were fired, as well as 32 artillery shells.

The spokesman also said that in the Donetsk direction, militants opened fire on Ukrainiann military positions near Avdiyivka, Horlivka, Maiorske, and Zaitseve. According to him, in the direction of Mariupol, three fourths of all attacks involved heavy weapons, including 82mm and 120mm mortars as well as heavy artillery.

As UNIAN reported earlier, December 16, Russian occupation forces opened fire 52 times on positions of ATO forces.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.unian.info/war/1684731-u...s-on-its-positions-in-donbas-in-past-day.html
18 December 2016

Illegal armed formations in Donbas attacked Ukrainian positions 40 times in the past day, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters reported on Sunday morning.

"In the past 24 hours, the town of Krasnohorivka, and the villages of Pavlopil, Lebedynske and Shyrokyne in the Mariupol sector came under mortar fire," the ATO HQ said.

Vodiane was attacked with the use of banned 152mm and 122mm artillery systems. Militants used grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms to shell Lebedynske, Talakivka, Pavlopil, Starohnativka, and Shyrokyne. What is more, an infantry fighting vehicle attacked Vodiane.

In the Lugansk sector, the Russian occupation force fired mortars and grenade launchers on the villages of Troyitske and Stanytsia Luhanska. The village of Novozvanivka came under fire from anti-tank systems, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns.

In the Donetsk sector, the village of Nevelske was shelled with the use of banned 122mm artillery systems. Mortars, grenade launchers, guns of infantry fighting vehicles, heavy machine guns and small arms were used to attack the villages of Luhanske and Mayorsk, and the town of Avdiyivka.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/391264.html
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Mission and People in Need (PIN) philanthropic organization have sent over 9 tonnes of food and medicines to non-government controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported on Saturday that the trucks with humanitarian aid from ICRC and PIN passed the Novotroitske and Mayorsk checkpoints.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://zeenews.india.com/news/world...d-in-fighting-in-eastern-ukraine_1959864.html
Moscow: Ukrainian officials say five soldiers have been killed in the latest outburst of fighting with pro-Russia rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine and the rebels traded accusations over the hostilities that erupted yesterday.

The Ukrainian military also said six others were wounded, and claimed that 20 rebels were killed.

The rebels said two people were killed and two others were missing on their side and claimed that 10 Ukrainian soldiers died in the battle, according to Russian news agencies.

The spike in fighting in the Luhansk region is one of the worst in recent weeks.

 

[Hindustani78]

**********
http://uatoday.tv/politics/ukrainian-cyborg-freed-from-captivity-849288.html
Last surviving defender of Donetsk airport Taras Kolodiy freed after almost two years' captivity


As UNIAN reports, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has announced that Taras Kolodiy, the last surviving from among the Ukrainian soldiers who defended Donetsk airport, also known as "cyborgs," has been freed after almost two years' captivity by Donbas militants.

"The SBU chief has just reported about the release of our 'cyborg' – Taras Kolodiy. He is free after almost two years in captivity," Poroshenko tweeted on Sunday, December 18. The president thanked all those who had been engaged in Kolodiy's release. "We have made a St Nicholas present to the whole country", wrote Petro Poroshenko. He already called to Taras Kolodiy and his mother to congratulate them.

The president, who was the first to have learned this important piece of news from the head of the SBU Security Service, gave instructions that Taras Kolodiy should be taken to Kyiv's Feofaniya Clinical Hospital for medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Ukraine's representative in the Donbas Trilateral Contact Group's humanitarian subgroup, which is engaged in prisoners swaps, Iryna Gerashchenko provided details about the 'cyborg's' release: "Long road home! Taras Kolodiy is free already and travels to Kyiv. Once more we thank the church and all the priests, Metropolitan Onufriy (head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate - UT), who were involved in freeing Taras. By the way, priests freed several dozen captives during the armed conflict."

The release of Kolodiy was due to negotiations assisted by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, according to Bishop Clement of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), the Bishop of Irpin and Vicar of the Kyiv Diocese, who has participated in the process.

The UOC's official website said that Poroshenko and Onufriy had agreed on joint coordination by the Ukrainian state and the UOC on issues related to the release of Ukrainian prisoners. At the same time, coordinator of the Patriot Center for POW exchange and release, Oleh Kotenko, said that over 10 more Donetsk airport defenders were announced missing in action.

"Kolodiy was the last 'cyborg' whose whereabouts were known. We've got over 10 'cyborgs' who are missing and whose whereabouts we've been trying to determine. We hope they're still alive. Efforts to search for them are under way," he said in a comment for 112 TV channel.

Kolodiy, 26, was born in the western city of Lviv. He was mobilized in August 2014. He was serving as a trooper of the 80th Airmobile Brigade in the town of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine. Then he defended Donetsk airport and was captured by militants from the self-proclaimed "Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR").

*****************
http://uatoday.tv/politics/multiple...attack-near-svitlodarsk-in-donbas-849463.html

Official information says 5 Ukrainian soldiers are killed and 6 more wounded, while journalists working in the war zone report much higher number of casualties

Five Ukrainian soldiers were killed in action and six were wounded as combined Russian-separatist forces launched attacks on Ukrainian positions along the so-called Svitlodarsk bulge, a stretch of land between the militant-controlled town of Horlivka and the town of Svitlodarsk in Donetsk region, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

Contrary to the official information on casualties, a journalist of the Ukrainian TSN news service, currently working in the war zone, reported that up to 30 Ukrainian soldiers have been wounded.

"Our positions near the village of Novo-Oleksandrivka, which is in the Luhansk sector, came under fire from rocket-propelled grenades and heavy machine guns. Since 05:50 [local time on Sunday], mercenaries of the Russian occupation force had been trying to oust our vanguard troops from their positions in the area of Svitlodarsk bulge after long preparative fire from heavy artillery and mortars," the ATO HQ reported on Sunday.

The adversary forces, being in significant numbers, resorted to bypassing, attempting to cut off the ATO strongpoints. "But their plans were uncovered just in time. The battle, which followed, thwarted the invaders' plans. During the two-hour battle, our troops defeated the enemy fighters," it said.

"Unfortunately, we've had losses. Five soldiers were killed, six were wounded. Four of the soldiers were injured slightly and two had moderately severe injuries. All the injured have been provided with high-quality medical care," the ATO HQ said.


Reconnaissance reports said that the enemy's casualties stood at about 20 killed and up to 30 wounded.

In addition, civilian infrastructure and power lines were damaged as militants have repeatedly opened fire from 122mm artillery systems and 120mm mortars on the Ukrainian positions. The town of Svitlodarsk and surrounding villages were left without electricity. Late at night, three artillery shells exploded near a school in Luhanske.

**********************

http://www.unian.info/war/1685481-m...duha-enemy-retreat-many-dead-and-wounded.html

The number of Ukraine's wounded in action (WIA) has grown to 26 men on Sunday, December 18, as the combined Russian-separatist forces resumed attacks near the militant-occupied town of Debaltseve at the so-called Svitlodarska Duha stretch after they had been defeated earlier that day, according to Ukrainian media outlet, zn.ua.


By Sunday evening, the intensity of shelling had increased, and the number of wounded Ukrainian soldiers had grown to 26 men, zn.ua reported with reference to TV news service TSN journalist Yevhenia Tsvetanska, who is near to Dnipro-based Mechnikov hospital. Wounded Ukrainian soldiers participating in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in eastern Ukraine are admitted to this hospital, as it is the largest clinic in the immediate vicinity.

Four wounded soldiers are still on the battlefield as they cannot be evacuated because of heavy artillery fire. Doctors in Dnipro have been informed that they should be ready to handle new wounded soldiers.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov wrote on Facebook on Sunday evening with reference to his own sources that a joint detachment from various units of the 54th mechanized infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine had been repelling new attacks at Svitlodarska Duha.

The adversary deployed several batteries of 152mm, 122mm and 120mm artillery systems that are banned under the Minsk peace agreements on Donbas. "The heaviest attacks of the Russian artillery are aimed at the villages of Myronivske and Luhanske in our immediate rear. Myronivske has been cut off power grids. In the area of height 220, the enemy has advanced tactical reserves – two units of armored vehicles.

The enemy isn't launching an offensive at the moment, but shelling continues," he wrote. According to Butusov, the number of WIA's is 25, while there are six KIA's already. Some of the wounded have already been rushed to the hospital in Dnipro.

**********

"There were three fire raids lasting from three to six hours each. In general, during this period, 34 shells of 122mm caliber, 694 mines of 120mm and 82mm calibers were launched on our units," Sirskiy said at a briefing on the current situation in the zone of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1698924406799949

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/391465.html
The Ukrainian army has suffered casualties in the Anti-Terrorist operation zone in Donbas over the past day, Ukrainian First Deputy Prime Minister and Economic Development and Trade Minister Stepan Kubiv said during a working visit to Brussels on Monday.

"Six Ukrainian servicemen were killed and 20 were wounded" in Donbas over the past day, the Ukrainian Economic Development and Trade Ministry said on Twitter on Monday.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/391466.html

It was hard to return fire during the Svitlodarsk arc engagement in Donbas because militants attacked Ukrainian Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) positions from the territory of Debaltseve, Vuhlehirsk and Kalynivka, battalion commander Major General Oleksandr Syrsky said.

"Notably, the enemy's artillery was firing from within the populated localities of Kalynivka, Vuhlehirsk and Debaltseve and that made impossible an adequate response because civilian casualties needed to be avoided," he told a press briefing in Kyiv on Monday.

A total of 34 122mm shells and 694 120mm and 82mm mortar mines were fired on Ukrainian army positions in the past 24 hours, he said.

In the opinion of Syrsky, the militants seek to advance towards Luhanske in the Donetsk region and to take over strategic sites.

All is quiet on the Svitlodarsk arc at the moment, he said.

The latest reports have said that six Ukrainian servicemen were killed in the clash.

The self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) militants said earlier they had deterred the Ukrainian army's attempt at breaking through defense lines near the village of Kalynivka.

Kyiv said, in turn, that the Ukrainian army deterred the militants' attempt at driving forward units away from their positions in a two-hour engagement on Sunday, December 18.

****************************

15:44
Kuchma blames DPR, LPR for all casualties in fight on Svitlodar bulge

14:33
LPR says it is fully in control in Debaltseve sector

14:04
Five Ukrainian soldiers killed, 16 injured in Donbas in past 24 hours - Ukrainian Defense Ministry

13:56
Ukrainian Defense Ministry accuses militia of opening fire from populated areas

13:55
Six Ukrainian servicemen killed, 20 wounded in Donbas in past 24 hours

12:56
DPR reports attacks on 2 villages in self-proclaimed republic's south (Part 2)

12:04
LPR: Ukrainian side keeps attempts of offensive in direction of Debaltseve

December 19, 2016 10:30
DONETSK. Dec 19 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian army attacked populated localities in the south of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), a representative of the DPR Novoazovsk district administration said.

"Sakhanka and Kominternove came under attack at 9 a.m. today. We are verifying possible casualties and damage," he told the press.

09:18
Kyiv reports 24 militia attacks on Ukrainian army positions over past day

 

[Hindustani78]

Ukrainian army' infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2 nicknamed 'Irynka' in position after shelling (by Back and Alive Foundation)

Militants attacked Ukrainian positions but were repulsed and lost strategic height, Russian artillery fired thousands of mines from residential area



During the Sunday's attack at Svitlodarsk Bulge Russian proxies fired from artillery and mortars from residential areas, which is prohibited by the Minsk agreements, Chief of the Joint Operations Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant-General Oleksandr Sirskiy reported according to UNIAN.

"There were three fire raids lasting from three to six hours each. In general, during this period, 34 shells of 122mm caliber, 694 mines of 120mm and 82mm calibers were launched on our units," Sirskiy said at a briefing on the current situation in the zone of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

He specified that militants had fired artillery systems from the village of Kalynivka, and the towns of Vuhlehirsk and Debaltseve. According to him, this "did not allow the Ukrainian military to respond adequately in order to avoid civilian casualties." Sirskiy noted that the fighting had taken place in the area at a distance of 36 km from the demarcation line, determined by the Minsk memorandum dated September 19, 2014. "Russian occupation troops should have withdrawn from this very area, including Debaltseve, Vuhlehirsk and other settlements, as it was repeatedly discussed at the meetings of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk," General stressed.

Chief of the Joint Operations Staff reminded that as a result of the fighting, according to preliminary data, the enemy losses amounted to 20 KIA and over 30 WIA. According to the ATO HQ, five Ukrainian soldiers were killed in action and another six troops were wounded, while 10 soldiers were shell-shocked. Sirskiy said that the situation at the Svitlodarska Bulge was calm at the moment, but added that it could change dynamically at any time. He assured that the situation was under control of the Ukrainian military.

Speaking about the motives of Russian proxies, Sirsky stated: "These positions are of strategic importance to the enemy. I want to remind you that the events that we all remember of occurred there two years ago. Therefore, the enemy is trying to regain its footing, trying to move forward, to take a more advantageous position, because some sites are of great strategic importance for them." Thus, as a result of the battle Kremlin-backed forces failed to reach certain "tactical success," General added.

Coordinator of ‘Information resistance' group Dmytro Tymchuk explained: "Occupiers made active advance trying to "cut" most advanced position of Ukrainian troops. Forces of a size of a reinforced company, after the massive bombardment with the 122mm and 152mm artillery (4 firing batteries, up to 16 canons, among them 5 units of 122mm howitzers D-3030A, the others – 152-mm self-propelled guns 2S3 "Akatsia" and 152-mm howitzer 2A65 "MSTA-B") and 3 mortar batteries (of 8 82-mm and 6 120mm mortars), with the support of six units of BMP-2 and two tanks tried to flank the Ukrainian positions from the right… while actively firing in frontal direction. However, a massive response fire of Ukrainian units stopped them, and then forced to retreat to the starting line."

The closer look on the area of Russian proxies' attack on Svitlodarsk bulge. Arrows mark Ukrainian army position (on the top), and three settlements, from which militants commenced fire raids (by Hromadske).

Meanwhile, Ukrainian volunteers add more details to the picture. According to Yurii Mysiahin, the militant's attack was faced by the soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade, supported by all Ukrainian army units deployed in the area.

"…Heavy fighting lasted the entire night. The battle involved all calibers from machine guns to 152 mm self-propelled guns. As of this morning, the enemy has been rebuffed, suffering heavy losses, while the heroes of the 54th Brigade took new strategic positions. It's really pleasing that the 1st Battalion of the 54th Brigade, which happened to be in the epicenter of the fighting, was supported by all our units in the Svitlodarsk salient area. Everyone did their job in a smooth and precise manner," volunteer wrote on Facebook.

"Some our soldiers are reported dead and missing in action. Their names are unknown as yet. I know exactly most of our wounded fighters are not in grave condition. Many of them want back to their positions," Mysiahin added.

According to Ministry of Defence speaker Col. Andriy Lysenko, during the day the Ukrainian army repulsed 3 fiercest enemy attacks, but did not counterattacked.

http://www.businessinsider.com/nato...e-still-as-divided-as-ever-on-ukraine-2016-12
NATO and Russia held more than three hours of talks on Monday, discussing ways to reduce military accidents but also underscoring their deep disagreement on the conflict in Ukraine.

Western diplomats said the fact that the NATO-Russia Council, where the Russian ambassador to the North Atlantic alliance sits with members states' envoys, had met at all was significant after an increase in Russian military deployments.

"Without talking, we cannot solve our differences," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said after the meeting in Brussels.

Russia has alarmed NATO by equipping its Baltic fleet with nuclear-capable missiles and stepping up Cold War-style aerial incursions to probe Western air defenses. In October, it demonstratively sent its sole aircraft carrier close to Europe's shores on its way to Syria.

Russian Ambassador Alexander Grushko gave a detailed briefing on Russian military exercises involving around 120,000 personnel in recent months, NATO diplomats said.

There was also discussion in Brussels of the tactics being used by Russian pilots, which NATO says are unsafe. These include flying barrel rolls over Western aircraft, not sharing flight plans, and flying without the transponders that allow jets to be identified by ground radar.

But Stoltenberg said there continued to be "profound disagreements" on one of the central issues in east-west relations: Ukraine.

He said NATO members would not recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, and that the alliance remained deeply concerned about eastern Ukraine, partly controlled since 2014 by rebels whom NATO accuses Moscow of financing.


Despite an internationally-monitored ceasefire, diplomats have cited increasing reports of shelling and civilian casualties.

NATO for its part has responded to increased Russian military activity by planning to deploy troops to the Baltic states and Poland next year. Although it says its plans are defensive, Russia has been irked and sought explanations.

Separately, Ukrainian Europe Minister Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze, who met EU officials in Brussels, told Reuters six Ukrainian soldiers had been reported killed on Monday and another 26 wounded in shelling by Russian-backed rebels.

The EU extended economic sanctions against Russia on Monday due to a lack of progress in implementing the Minsk ceasefire deal, under which a cessation of fighting was due to be followed by Kiev agreeing to hold local elections in the region.

"The ball is in the Russian court," Klympush-Tsintsadze told Reuters. "Without security guarantees, without a ceasefire holding ... it will be impossible for Ukraine to move on the political agenda."

 

[Hindustani78]

http://uatoday.tv/crime/ukrainian-army-repel-one-more-attack-near-svitlodarsk-850483.html
Armed forces resisted militant groups attempting to attack the Ukrainian positions


Today, on December 20, at 10.30 local time, Russian proxies once more attacked Ukrainian positions on the Svitlodarsk Bulge (Donetsk region), Defense Ministry reports. "After the mortar attack terrorists assaulted with three groups of 3-5 people, attempting to knock the Ukrainian forces from their positions," MoD statement reads.

"After an adequate response, units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine enemy was forced to retreat. No losses among the Armed Forces of Ukraine, enemy losses to be specified," Ministry added.

As reported earlier, on Sunday Ukrainian troops repelled three militant attacks in the ‘bloodiest battle in 5 months.' Ukraine lost 5 fighters on that day, while inflicting much heavier losses to the attackers. One Ukrainian soldier is still MIA.


Meanwhile, the press-officer of 54th mechanized brigade, defending Svitlodarsk area, confirmed unofficial information on Sunday's advance of the Ukrainian army. He explained: troops had to push the militants from the forward positions to stop their attacks. In seized fortifications Ukrainian forces found some personal documents of the people originated both from Donbas, as well as from Russia, with registration in Rostov-on-Don. The Officer couldn't specify if these documents belong to Russian military, or private mercenaries, Ukrainska Pravda says.

Also Ukrainian journalist Roman Bochkala informed about one prisoner, taken during the repulsing of attack.

"He was found by Ukrainian military medics. He was wounded and wearing the Russian ‘Gorka' uniform of with no insignia. He introduced himself as Morozov, but it turned out that his real surname is Lyapin. There is reason to assume that he is not just a separatist, a scout, but a citizen of Russia and is related to the Russian GRU or the armed forces of the Russian Federation. Now this information is on confirmation," Bochkala wrote on Facebook.

Another journalist, Yevgenia Tsvetanska, published a photos of Russian military med pack, and binoculars, found on the battle scene.

Source in the Anti-Terrorist Operation Staff told Censor.NET that during Sunday's massive attack on Ukrainian positions in the Svitlodarsk salient, an enemy reconnaissance group was spotted and partially destroyed. Four militants were eliminated in the clash.


Now the command of Russian proxies refuses to take away the dead bodies and thus confirm its responsibility for the escalation in the eyes of OSCE SMM, media states.

The chief editor of the Cenzor.net Juri Butusov later confirmed the capture of the wounded militant and today's firefight in Svitlodarsk Bulge.

"On the morning of December 20, a fierce exchange of fire from infantry weapons is seen again. The enemy forces attempting to attack our infantry positions. Currently, the fight goes on. Our units have support. The situation is described as tense, but stable. Enemy unit left on the battlefield four dead Russian mercenaries, the life of one more badly wounded militant, who was left by his comrades, is now in the hands of Ukrainian doctors. Also, Russian units that fell under the retaliation fire of our guns and mortars suffered significant losses," Butusov wrote.

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http://uatoday.tv/politics/donbas-c...old-ukraine-s-ministry-of-defence-850508.html

Svitlodarsk rim, Avdiivka and Mariupol outskirts remain to be the most atrocious war zones


The situation in the ATO zone keeps escalating with 47 combat collisions registered in the past 24 hours, Ukraine's defence ministry spokesperson Olexander Motuzianyk reported on Tuesday.

The worst tensions are reported taking place at the Svitlodarsk rim around a town of Luhanske. The mortar shellings of the Ukrainian positions resumed there after a calm night.

In the Donetsk direction, the Avdiivka industrial zone stays as one of the most dangerous frontline locations, there Ukrainian forces had been fired upon for at least 5 hours. The combined Russian-collaborative forces keep engaging heavy artillery, firearms and mortars.

Combat clashes are also registered near the town of Zaitseve and in the outskirts of the Putilovska coal pit near Donetsk.

Frequent sniper fire occasions have been reported near the town of Stanytsia Lyhanska, with short fire exchanges near villages of Lobacheve, Zhovte, Krymske and Popasna. In total, 11 shellings were registered in the Luhansk direction.

At least 27 ceasefire violations have been reported from the Mariupol direction in the past 24 hours. The area between the villages of Pavlopil and Shyrokyne remains to be the most dangerous zone in the frontline sector. On the outskirts of Mariupol, the militants are keen to engage artillery, mortars and armour vehicles.

The towns of Novotroitske and Starohnativka are reported as being shelled with mortars and firearms.


One Ukrainian defender was killed in action and 10 wounded, according to figures provided by the military. Also, eight Ukrainian soldiers are shell-shocked during heavy clashes at the Svitlodarsk rim.

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/391829.html

One Ukrainian soldier has been killed, nine soldiers have been wounded and eight – shell shocked in the Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) zone in the east of the country over the past day, Ukrainian Defense Ministry's spokesman for the ATO Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said.

"Over the past day as a result of hostilities, one Ukrainian soldier has been killed, nine soldiers have been wounded and eight – shell shocked. All these cases took place in Svitlodarsk arc," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday.

************
http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2016/12/16/ukrainian-and-us-navies-discuss-mine-action/
Ukrainian and US Navies held talks to discuss countermine warfare, mine action, and mine dragging. In the framework of this discussion and cooperation, the US party provided practical recommendations concerning mine action capabilities of the Ukrainian Naval Forces.

According to a representative of the US Naval Forces Command Europe Captain Lieutenant Viktor Romanenkov, this activity is also one of the ways of reforms implementation within the Ukrainian Navy.

President Petro Poroshenko had a meeting with cyborg, paratrooper of the 80th airmobile brigade Taras Kolodiy liberated from captivity of militants. The meeting was also attended by mother of Taras Kolodiy Halyna Myroslavivna.

14:50
DPR observes over 1,500 ceasefire violations by Ukrainian army, reports militiaman's injury in past 24 hours

13:46
Ukrainian army positions in Donbas come under 47 attacks in past 24 hours - Kyiv (Part 2)

12:10
Ukrainian army hatching plans of offensive in Debaltseve area - LPR

 

[Hindustani78]

http://uatoday.tv/society/christmas-postcards-for-ukrainian-soldiers-on-the-front-line-850703.html

At the military hospital in Kyiv, medics, wounded soldiers and volunteers have written their greetings to the ATO fighters and children living in the cities near the front line. The postcards themselves were provided complimentary from a manufacturer.

Several thousand Christmas cards have been prepared. Some of them were also signed by school children.

The campaign organizers say this year they managed to collect way more cards than last year, adding that the receivers are extremely happy that they have not been forgotten.

A volunteer: "The main thing is peace and patience to our soldiers. And to return home safely with a victory"

Another group of volunteers from the city of Zastavna in western Ukraine have been supporting Ukrainian soldiers for the past 2 years. And they are not going to stop there, for this year's St Nicholas day, they decided to present the men on the front a stunning variety of home-made food and other goodies.

The volunteers are sure that unless our defenders are hungry, only then they will get victory over the enemy faster.

As well as the food, they collected a couple of bags of warm clothes.



Mariya Myakota, volunteer: "From the very beginning, there were only 6 women helping. Now, there are plenty of us. For the past 2 years, we've cooked 80 pigs, fed our defenders with tons of food, I even have no idea how much exactly".

It will be the 23rd ride to the war zone. Though the war is tiring both for soldiers and volunteers, the latter promised to help the men in Donbas till the victorious end.

**********************
http://uatoday.tv/politics/russian-cyberattack-might-cause-week-end-blackout-in-kyiv-850813.html
The December 18 blackout in Kyiv might have been caused by cyberattack


The northern districts of right-bank part of Kyiv and some of its outskirts could be left without electricity because of Russian cyberattacks against Ukrainian wires overnight into December 18, the 'Ukrenergo' agency interim head Vsevolod Kovalchuk wrote on his Facebook page.

The blackout was caused by a malfunction at the Nothern sub-station, according to the official's report.

"Thus at midnight the consumers in the northern districts of right-bank part of Kyiv and joint districts of the Kyivan region were unplugged from electricity. Our specialists switched the equipment into manual and started restoring power. In 1 hour 15 minutes the electricity supplies had totally resumed. We are investigating the case, a commission is already working. Interference via data networking from outside remains to be the basic version so far," the energy agency head noted.

The details of the accident exclude any explanations of usual stoppages in power networks of Ukraine's capital.


Several districts of Kyiv and Kyivan region were cut off the energy supplies for about an hour overnight into December 18.

***************
http://uatoday.tv/society/svitlodar...xplosions-mlrs-grad-back-to-front-850868.html

Russian proxies continue pounding Svitlodarsk area with heavy artillery


Ukrainian Anti-Terrorist Operation HQ reports 9 attacks today in Donbas frontline. The largest number of attacks with light armour, mortars, grenade launchers noted on Mariupol direction, one more – near Luhansk.

In Donetsk region Russian proxies after today morning's failed attack pounded Svitlodarsk area with 122-millimeter artillery.

According to latest information, during the 3 days of battle in Svitlodarsk area Ukraine lost 7 soldiers killed (including one gravely wounded soldier that died during the evacuation), and dozens wounded. The name of one fallen soldier is already known. It's a former ‘Right Sector' volunteer from Kharkiv region Roman Radivilov. After ‘Right Sector' was sent from the frontline according to the Minsk deals, he and his comrades joined the 54th brigade of the Ukrainian Army. The number of victims are growing – today 10 Ukrainian soldiers are suffering from shell shock while defending their positions.

OSCE Special Monitoring Mission confirmed the usage of heavy weapons by Russian proxies and bringing new Minsk-banned arms to the front.

"The SMM recorded more ceasefire violations in Donetsk region on both 17 and 18 December, including some 700 and 2,900 explosions respectively, compared with some 100 explosions in the previous reporting period. The majority of ceasefire violations were recorded in the areas around Svitlodarsk and Debaltseve," statement reads.


Monitors fixed Russian MLRS back o the front: "On 17 December, while in "DPR"-controlled Debaltseve (58km north-east of Donetsk), over a span of three minutes the SMM heard ten explosions assessed as outgoing rounds of an undetermined weapon, as well as ten undetermined explosions, all 5-7km north-west. During the night of 17-18 December the SMM heard 12 explosions assessed as outgoing multiple-launcher-rocket-system (MLRS; BM-21 Grad, 122mm) rounds 6-7km north-west and four subsequent explosions assessed as impacts at unknown distances north-west, and 96 undetermined explosions, all 5-10km north-west. On 18 December the SMM heard 43 explosions assessed as outgoing MLRS rounds as well as 1,900 undetermined explosions, all 2-10km north-west and north-north-west. Positioned about 3km north-east of Debaltseve, the SMM heard approximately 70 explosions assessed as artillery rounds approximately 7km north-west."

Ukrainian army expect new militant attacks in the next days. Ukrainian media Glavred cite the explanation of the battle given by the member of the Russian Union of paratroopers of Siberia, the former head of the pro-Russian ‘Transnistrian republic' President's Security Service, Colonel Valery Gratov, who recruited Transnistrian and Russian mercenaries for the war in Donbas and was deported from Moldova.


Russian officer wrote on Facebook: "There are a reservoir, Myronivska and Vuhlehirska power stations (in Svitlodarsk – UT). Without exaggeration, it can be called a strategic point. Svitlodarsk Bulge crashes into the territory of the ‘Donetsk Peoples Republic' with 6 km wedge and is a threat from a partial encirclement of Debaltseve (town seized by Russian invasion forces despite Minsk deal confirmed it is to be controlled by Kyiv - UT). Ukrainians may at any time cut communications between Debaltseve, Vuhlehirsk and Horlivka (militant-held towns – UT). "Therefore, it is imperative for us to defend and recapture the lost height 222 (between the Svitlodarsk and Debaltseve – UT). In spite of the heavy losses in the nearest future we will return control of the height. Waiting for reinforcements".

Earlier Gratov said that as a result of a fight on Svitlodarsk Bulge militants lost 37 people killed and 52 severely wounded.

********************

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/392205.html
Two Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemen have been killed and eight have suffered injuries in the Donbas conflict zone in the past 24 hours.

"Over the past day, two servicemen of ours were killed, four servicemen suffered injuries, and another four sustained concussions in the hostilities," Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman for Anti-Terrorist Operation issues Andriy Lysenko told a press briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday.

One Ukrainian soldier was captured in hostilities on the Svitlodarsk bulge on Sunday, he said.

"It has been confirmed that one of our servicemen was captured in combat on the Svitlodarsk bulge on December 18," he said.

According to Lysenko, hostiles have not ceased fire on the Svitlodarsk bulge, and a number of artillery and mortar attacks have been observed since the morning. They also attempted an assault, but the attempt was averted, he said.

"After the storm failed, the hostiles staged five armed provocations during the day with use of grenade launchers of various types. When the attacks were boldest, our servicemen returned fire using weapons which are not prohibited by the Minsk agreements," the spokesman said.

Another hotbed in the Donetsk sector is Avdiyivka, where hostiles have used light weapons and mortars in the industrial zone, Lysenko said, adding that seven shelling incidents were seen in the area over the past day.

The hostilities have shifted to Popasna in the Luhansk sector, Lysenko said, adding that hostiles were broadly using light weapons and employed mortars late at night. There were one armed provocation staged in each of Stanytsia Luhanska and Syze, he said. In all, the truce was broken 13 times in the Luhansk area.

The number of shelling incidents has halved to 13 in the Mariupol sector, yet hostiles continue to actively employ heavy weapons, including 120mm mortars and 122mm artillery, he said. Combat has resumed west of Dokuchayevsk, where more than 60 mines were fired during the day and armored vehicles and small arms were repeatedly used. In addition, hostile mortars and grenade launchers shelled Krasnohorivka three times, he said.

*************
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/392224.html

Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov has arrived in the Svitlodarsk arc area (Donetsk region), where fighting has intensified over the past four days.

Turchynov noted that the Ukrainian military positions have been continually shelled for four days in a row with artillery weapons and large-caliber mortars banned by the Minsk agreements, a spokesperson for the National Security and Defense Council said on Wednesday.

"By the number of shells and rounds launched against our positions near the Svitlodarsk arc, some kind of a record was broken - over 800 per day," the Security Council secretary said.

He claimed that the Ukrainian troops "repelled the attacks" and "in counterattacking, moved forward and took new positions" which gave them an additional advantage in this defense sector."

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21:23
Ukraine ready to release 15 captives as goodwill gesture before end of 2017 - Sajdik (Part 2)

19:53
Contact Group on Ukraine calls for indefinite ceasefire over New Year - Gryzlov

17:45
DPR accuses Ukrainian side of refusal to discuss economic issues as part of Contact Group

17:04
Ukrainian army takes new positions during fighting near Svitlodarsk arc in Donbas - Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council Secretary (Part 2)

16:48
LPR: 40 Ukrainian troops killed in fighting near Debaltseve, over 50 wounded (Part 2)

15:41
Ukrainian army loses 2 soldiers, 8 are injured, 1 captured in Donbas

http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?pg=6&id=723614
LUHANSK. Dec 21 (Interfax) - LPR militiamen were killed and wounded in the fighting on the Debaltseve track in the past 24 hours, he self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) said.

"Another two our soldiers died a heroic death as a result of fierce fighting in the Debaltseve area on December 20-21, 2016 while covering the regrouping of our units in a defensive battle," LPR Defense Ministry official Andrei Marochko said.

Another two LPR militia were wounded as a result of a large-scale artillery attack by the Ukrainian army near the populated area of Kalynivka, he said.

According to the LPR militia, four militiamen have been killed and five have been wounded in the Debaltseve area since December 18.

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http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?pg=6&id=723602

KYIV. Dec 21 (Interfax) - The Trilateral Contact Group for Donbas convened in Minsk on Wednesday afternoon.

"A meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group has begun in Minsk," Darka Olifer, spokesperson for Ukrainian representative to the group Leonid Kuchma, said on Facebook.


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11:19
Kyiv reports 33 attacks on its positions in Donbas