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Civil war in Ukraine: News & discussion

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https://www.unian.info/war/1864704-ukraine-reports-almost-50-enemy-attacks-5-wias-in-last-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 48 times in the past 24 hours with five Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.


The enemy was most active near the port city of Mariupol where proscribed 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems and infantry fighting vehicles were used to shell on the Ukrainian defenders of the village of Novotroyitske. The militants also fired 82mm mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns on the Ukrainian positions near the town of Krasnohorivka. Grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and small arms were used to attack the Ukrainian Marines near the villages of Pavlopil and Hnutove. Additionally, the Russian occupation forces opened fire from infantry fighting vehicles, machine guns and small arms on the defenders of the villages of Shyrokyne and Vodiane, as well as heavy machine guns and small arms on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Lebedynske. Furthermore, enemy snipers were active near Pavlopil.


The largest number of violations in the Donetsk sector was recorded near the town of Avdiyivka whose defenders were attacked with 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems and heavy machine guns.

The invaders fired 82mm mortars and heavy machine guns on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Pisky. Grenade launchers and heavy machine guns were used near Butivka coal mine and the village of Troyitske. Moreover, the enemy fired heavy machine guns and small arms on the Ukrainian positions near the villages of Novozvanivka and Verkhniotoretske.

In the Luhansk sector, the Russian-backed militants used grenade launchers to shell the defenders of the village of Krymske, as well as heavy machine guns to fire on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska.

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https://www.unian.info/war/1865431-us-soldiers-ukrainian-forces-train-to-hold-ground-media.html

U.S. soldiers recently guided a battalion of Ukrainian infantrymen through a 55-day training rotation that culminated in live-fire defensive maneuvers designed to help Ukrainian troops "hold ground" in battle, according to Stars and Stripes.
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The exercise was among the most intensive since U.S. troops began picking up the pace of training in western Ukraine. A battle with pro-Russian separatists in that country's east has entered its third year, Stars and Stripes reported.

A team of Oklahoma National Guard troops are the latest American advisers to rotate to Ukraine. U.S. European Command's top officer said just last week that lethal aid for government forces should be on the table.

"We want them to come up and be able to work with us as equal partners on the battlefield," U.S. Army 1st Sgt. John Workman, who helps mentor Ukrainian forces, said in a statement.

For three years, U.S. Army Europe has been leading an effort to bolster the capability of Ukraine's armed forces. The effort, initially focused on developing the country's national guard, has been expanded to include the training of regular active-duty forces. Many of the Ukrainian soldiers who have been trained have gone on to take part in combat operations in eastern Ukraine, where separatists and government forces duel on an almost daily basis.

A cease-fire brokered by the West and Russia has largely been ignored, and in recent weeks the fighting has intensified.


Besides training, the U.S. has provided a wide range of non-lethal military aid to Ukraine, such Humvees and radars to identify incoming artillery fire. U.S. officials have debated whether to add "lethal aid" to the mix, a move that would risk an escalation on the battlefield.

"I personally believe that we need to consider lethal defensive weapons for Ukraine," Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, the senior U.S. military commander in Europe, told Congress last week. "They're fighting a very lethal, tough enemy; it's a Russian proxy … and the Russians provide some of their newest equipment there in order to test it."

During the recent round of training, which concluded March 29, Ukrainian forces fired from combat vehicles, launched mortars and heavy artillery, lighting up the sprawling training ground in the Ukrainian countryside.

The drills involved the Ukrainian army's 1st Battalion, 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade. During their rotation at the Yavoriv training center, Ukrainian soldiers practiced direct and indirect fires, marksmanship and coordinated company-level movements.

Ukrainian troops also worked on conducting reconnaissance operations to help them identify targets for larger artillery strikes.

"Their unit cohesion and ability to work as a team is exponentially improving every day," said 1st Lt. Brendon Galvin, a platoon leader with the Oklahoma National Guard's 179th Infantry Regiment.

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The Ukrainian party of JCCC states that despite the alleged readiness of the illegal armed formations to withdraw forces and weaponry at the site No.1 Stanytsya Luhanska about which the RF media reported on April 6, militants just wanted to charge the Ukrainian party in non-observance of the Minsk agreements.

On April 6, at 08:05 — 08:40 p.m. militants shelled the site No.1 using heavy machinegun, AGS and small arms.

This fact shows that militants have violated the withdrawal of forces and weaponry at the mentioned site.

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http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?pg=2&id=746674

April 07, 2017 19:42

Plants in DPR to start working full-scale as early as next week - DPR leader
ZUGRESS (Donetsk region). April 7 (Interfax) - Several metallurgical and other industrial facilities in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) will start working full-scale next week, DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko said.

"All the appropriate contracts have been signed. Next week the first shipment of raw materials will arrive and it will allow starting the first metal at Yenakiyeve Metallurgical Plant. Since it is going to start operating, the interrelated plants start working," Zakharchenko told reporters in summing up the results of the first month of the plants' operation under external management of the DPR authorities.

All those employed at the plants are paid their wages as scheduled, in Russian rubles, he added.

No notable acts of sabotage have taken place since the external management was introduced for the businesses of Ukrainian jurisdiction, Zakharchenko said.

"Basically, we were able to avoid big acts of sabotage at the enterprises, although there were some attempts," Zakharchenko said.

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http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?pg=5&id=746570

STANYTSIA LUHANSKA (Luhansk region). April 7 (Interfax) - The Donbas conflicting sides have been unsuccessfully trying to disengage forces and hardware on the last pilot site, Stanytsia Luhanska, for the second day in a row, self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) militia department chief Mikhail Filipponenko told reporters.

"The Ukrainian side once again did not confirm its readiness to pull back, thus thwarting another attempt at disengaging forces and hardware," Filipponenko said.

He assured reporters that the LPR had covered its part of the road to meet the disengagement commitments.

"The LPR has complied with every norm and every requirement set for the disengagement of forces and hardware. Yet Ukraine did not respond to the white flare signaling the LPR's readiness to disengage," he said.

It was reported via the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) that the Ukrainian side was not going to disengage, he said.

"Today we have again borne witness to the non-fulfillment of obligations by Ukraine," Filipponenko said.

Kyiv said on Thursday that forces and hardware could be disengaged only if a ceasefire held for seven days.
 
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https://www.unian.info/society/1866326-ukraine-announces-large-scale-air-defense-drills.html
This year, large-scale exercises of Ukraine’s air defense units have been scheduled, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

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"Today, Ukraine’s main forces to deter the enemy [attacking] from the air are the anti-aircraft missile forces," the General Staff wrote on Facebook. “

In 2016, after a long break, our S-300Ps (anti-aircraft missile systems) started firing again. Our plans for 2017 are more ambitious," the statement reads.

According to Major-General Dmytro Karpenko, Chief of the Air Defense Missile Forces, this year, priority will be given to live fire exercises. "More specifically, we plan to hold an even more ambitious event than last year.

I am talking about live fire drills for the Buk-M1 combined air defense missile regiment and S-300P air defense missile divisions. S300P divisions will be spearheaded in the exercise area, with their regular weaponry and military equipment. Of course, the environment will be more realistic, which is the main task," Karpenko said.

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https://www.unian.info/war/1866899-ukraine-reports-5-wias-amid-43-enemy-attacks-in-last-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 43 times in the past 24 hours with five Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

The largest number of violations was recorded near the port city of Mariupol. In particular, 120mm mortars, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and infantry fighting vehicles were used to attack the defenders of the village of Novohryhorivka, as well as 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and a sniper fire near the town of Krasnohorivka. The Ukrainian fortified positions near the town of Maryinka came under fire from 82mm mortars and small arms. The militants also fired anti-tank grenade launchers and heavy machine guns on the Ukrainian positions near the villages of Vodiane, Shyrokyne and Berezove. Additionally, heavy machine guns were used near the village of Chermalyk, as well as infantry fighting vehicles and a sniper fire against the defenders of the village of Novotroyitske. Moreover, the Ukrainian Marines near the villages of Hnutove and Talakivka came under fire from small arms.


In the Donetsk sector, the Russian occupation forces fired 82mm mortars and grenade launchers of various systems toward the Ukrainian fortified positions near the town of Avdiyivka and the village of Verkhniotoretske. The enemy also used heavy machine guns and small arms to shell the Ukrainian positions near the village of Kamianka.

Furthermore, the enemy used anti-tank grenade launchers against the defenders of the villages of Pisky and Zaitseve, as well as infantry fighting vehicles near the village of Opytne. In the Luhansk sector, the invaders fired grenade launchers on the defenders of the villages of Katerynivka and Stanytsia Luhanska, as well as heavy machine guns near the village of Krymske.

Despite armed provocations, the Ukrainian army strictly observed the ceasefire and did not fire back.

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https://www.unian.info/war/1867584-...krainian-wias-in-past-24-hours-in-donbas.html


The militants increased the number of shellings to 59 over the past day, targeting positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the press center of the Anto-Terrorist Operation Headquarters reports.


Over the past day, four Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in action, according to the report. The Primorske direction remains the epicenter of hostilities. The enemy mortared Ukrainian marines stationed in Shyrokine with 120mm and 82mm shells, also using large-caliber machine guns.

In Vodiane, 82mm shells landed from mortars and automatic grenade launchers. 82mm mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns were fired at the defenders of Maryinka.

"The enemy opened fire from grenade launchers of various types and large-caliber machine guns on strong points near Krasnohorivka, Hnutove and Pavlopil. IFV and anti-tank grenade launchers were fired at defenders of Novohryhoryivka. Positions near Novotroyitske were fired on from machine guns and small arms.

In the vicinity of Berezove, the enemy used large-caliber machine guns against our troops," the press center reported. On the Donetsk line, the enemy opened fire from APCs, 120mm and 82mm mortars at the defenders of Verkhnetoretske. 120 mm mortars, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and IFV-installed arms fired at Ukrainian strongpoints in the area of Pisky.

"82-caliber mortars, grenade launchers of various types, and machine guns of large calibers were used against the defenders of Avdiyivka and Troyitske. Grenade launchers and machine guns were fired at the defenders of Kamianka and Butivka mine. The enemy also fired large-caliber machine guns at the defenders of Opytne," reads the report. Anti-tank grenade launchers and small arms were fired at Ukrianian troops near Novhorodske and Luhanske. In the areas of Pisky, Zaitseve and Troyitske, the enemy snipers were active.

On the Luhansk line, the enemy fired automatic grenade launchers on Ukrainian positions near Novo-Oleksandrivka, and small arms – on strong points near Donets.

As UNIAN reported earlier, there were 43 shellings of Ukrainian positions in the previous day. Five troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were wounded.


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09:30
DPR reports over 50 Ukrainian shell attacks in past 24 hours
 
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https://www.unian.info/war/1868279-ukraine-reports-2-wias-amid-44-enemy-attacks-in-last-day.html


Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 44 times in the past 24 hours with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.


The largest number of violations was recorded in the Mariupol sector. "Here, near the village of Novotroyitske, the enemy opened fire from 120mm mortars, anti-tank grenade launchers and infantry fighting vehicles on our defenders." The Ukrainian soldiers in the villages of Vodiane and Lebedynske, and the town of Krasnohorivka came under fire from grenade launchers various systems and heavy machine guns," the report says.

The militants also fired grenade launchers on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the villages of Hnutove and Novohnativka, as well as heavy machine guns in the vicinity of the villages of Pavlopil and Novomykhailivka. "The enemy used infantry fighting vehicles and small arms against the Ukrainian defenders of the village of Shyrokyne. Infantry fighting vehicles opened fire near the village of Novohryhorivka, while small arms were fired at the defenders of the villages of Talakivka and Chermalyk," the headquarters said.


In the Donetsk sector, the Russian occupation forces fired anti-tank grenade launchers and heavy machine guns on the defenders of the town of Avdiyivka and Butivka coal mine, as well as anti-tank grenade launchers and small arms on the defenders of the villages of Verkhniotoretske and Zaitseve. Additionally, enemy snipers were active near the village of Pisky.

On the Luhansk line, the invaders fired 82mm mortar shells, launched grenades and fired heavy machine guns on the Ukrainian strong points near the village of Novozvanivka. "The defenders of the villages of Troyitske, Krymske and Stanytsia Luhanska were attacked with grenade launchers of various types and heavy machine guns. Moreover, the defenders of the village of Novotoshkivske came under fire from heavy machine guns," the ATO headquarters said.
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Kozak 5 armored vehicle put in service with UA National Guard

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https://www.unian.info/war/1870194-...ds-howitzers-tanks-near-occupied-luhansk.html

Monitors from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine have reported they spotted proscribed weapons in Russian-occupied areas in Donbas on the weekend; they included multiple rocket launchers, howitzers, as well as tanks, according to an update.

"In violation of the respective withdrawal lines in areas not controlled by the government, the SMM saw on April 7 three multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) (BM-21 Grad, 122mm) near Khrustalnyi (formerly Krasnyi Luch, 56km south-west of Luhansk)," the OSCE SMM said in a report based on information received as of 19:30 local time on April 9, 2017.

"On both April 8 and 9, the SMM saw seven tanks (T-72), ten towed howitzers (five 2A65 Msta-B, 152mm; and five D-30 Lyagushka, 122mm), seven MLRS (BM-21), and seven self-propelled howitzers (2S1 Gvozdika, 122mm) in the south-eastern outskirts of Luhansk city," it said.

The SMM observed weapons that could not be verified as withdrawn, as their storage does not comply with the criteria set in the October 16, 2015 notification, it said. In non-government controlled areas, the SMM noted as present: 11 self-propelled howitzers (2S1), five MLRS (BM-21), six towed howitzers (D-30) and four anti-tank guns (MT-12 Rapira, 100mm).

The SMM noted as missing: 16 MLRS (BM-21), including four for the first time, three self-propelled howitzers (2S1), including two for the first time, and 12 mortars (11 PM-38, 120mm; and one 2B11 Sani, 120mm).

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Despite the achieved agreements, the Russian occupational troops keep on violating the ceasefire and using the heavy weaponry.

Near Novotroitske (Mariupol) the enemy used 120 mm and 82 mm mortars, BMP, grenade launchers and heavy machineguns. The attacks resulted in damage of village houses and infrastructure.

According to preliminary information, there are no casualties among local citizens.

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09:53
DPR militia accuses Kyiv of over 60 attacks in past 24 hours

10:31
DPR militia, Kyiv trade accusations of 64 attacks in Donbas in past 24 hours (Part 2)
 
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https://www.unian.info/war/1872911-ukraine-reports-5-wias-amid-45-enemy-attacks-in-last-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 45 times in the past 24 hours with five Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.


In the Mariupol sector, the enemy fired 82mm mortars, Zu-23-2 anti-aircraft guns, grenade launchers of various systems and heavy machine guns on the defenders of the town of Maryinka. The Ukrainian Marines near the village of Vodiane came under fire from grenade launchers, armored vehicles, and heavy machine guns. The defenders of the village of Novotroyitske were provoked by "harassing" fire from anti-tank grenade launchers. The occupiers also opened fire from infantry fighting vehicles on the Ukrainian Marines near the village of Shyrokyne as well as an armored personnel carrier near the village of Pavlopil.


The Russian occupation forces used heavy machine guns and small arms on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Berezove. Additionally, enemy snipers were active near Vodiane and Novotroyitske, and the towns of Maryinka and Krasnohorivka.


In the Donetsk sector, the invaders fired from 120mm and 82mm mortars and infantry fighting vehicles on the Ukrainian soldiers near the village of Opytne. The defenders of the town of Avdiyivka came under fire from 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems, a Zu-23-2 anti-aircraft gun and heavy machine guns. The militants used 82mm mortars and anti-tank grenade launchers against the Ukrainian military near the village of Verkhniotoretske, as well as a Zu-23-2 anti-aircraft gun and infantry fighting vehicles in the village of Luhanske. Moreover, the enemy shelled grenade launchers of various types and heavy machine guns toward the defenders of the villages of Zaitseve and Pisky, as well as heavy machine guns near the village of Kamianka. Furthermore, infantry fighting vehicles were used near Pisky.

In the Luhansk sector, the Russian-backed militants opened fire from 120mm mortars and anti-tank grenade launchers on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Krymske, armored personnel carriers and grenade launchers near the village of Novo-Oleksandrivka, as well as grenade launchers of various types on the defenders of the village of Katerynivka.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/415475.html
Since the beginning of this year, 69 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been killed, more than 420 injured in the Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) zone, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.

"Only in the course of this year 69 soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been killed and more than 420 injured as a result of the enemy's shelling," the president said on Wednesday, speaking to the tank brigade during his working trip to the Luhansk region.

He also said that a total of 2,652 Ukrainian servicemen of various security agencies had been killed during the ATO.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/415494.html
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that, if necessary, the Ukrainian military are ready to promptly return the disengaged equipment and weapons to their former positions.

"Today, in accordance with the Minsk agreements, large-caliber artillery, tanks and heavy weapons are disengaged from the front line. But all the tank units and other military units are in full combat readiness, and we are now convinced of this," the president said addressing servicemen of the 17th separate tank brigade in the Luhansk region on Wednesday.

According to him, if necessary, all this equipment and weapons "will return to certain places to strengthen our defense borders in the very shortest possible time."

"The 17th tank brigade, which possesses combat skills with solid and glorious military traditions, is not an exception," Poroshenko said.


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http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2017/...age-and-willingness-to-give-life-for-ukraine/

In Luhansk region, President Petro Poroshenko met with armor crewmen of a tank unit withdrawn from the touch line pursuant to the Minsk agreements.

Petro Poroshenko emphasized that the AFU bravely and resiliently perform missions of the ATO, defending the frontiers and disrupting invasive plans of the country-aggressor.

The Head of State noted that Ukrainians pay a high price for their independence. Only in 2017, 69 AFU servicemen were killed and over 420 were wounded by enemy attacks. In general, during the ATO, Ukraine lost 2652 warriors from the Armed Forces, Security Service, National Guard, Border Guard, National Police etc.

The attendees honored memory of the Ukrainian warriors and civilians fallen in the war unleashed by the Russian aggressor with a moment of silence.

The Head of State emphasized that the tank units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been reborn in fierce battles and are now the main striking force of the land troops. “Today, every Ukrainian military knows well that when armor crewmen stand with him victory is guaranteed,” Petro Poroshenko stressed.

“This a powerful fire fist capable of rebuffing the offensive of the aggressor and breaking through its most complex defense in case of escalation,” the President said.

“Your strength is not only about a solid armor and powerful weaponry, it is about determination, courage and willingness to give life for Ukraine,” the Head of State noted.

Petro Poroshenko emphasized that heavy artillery and tanks have been withdrawn from the frontline pursuant to the Minsk agreements.

At the same time, he emphasized that all tank units are in full combat readiness and will return to the defined locations immediately in case of need for reinforcement of the Ukrainian defense.

The President reminded that he had instructed the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the General Staff to take care of the financial supply: starting from April 1, servicemen on the frontline will receive additional 7.5 thousand hryvnias and those on the second line of defense will have additional 3.5 thousand hryvnias. It was also instructed to improve military housing in places of permanent deployment.

The Head of State is confident that jointly with diplomatic efforts peace and quiet will be returned to the country, as well as Ukrainian sovereignty will be returned to the occupied territories.

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief also heard the report on the operational situation in the ATO area.
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Patriarch Filaret sends Easter food to Ukraine army in Donbas
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https://www.unian.info/war/1874779-...ed-in-mortar-attack-on-butivka-coal-mine.html

Russia's hybrid military forces continue violating the ceasefire in Donbas, eastern Ukraine; one Ukrainian soldier has been killed in one of such recent attacks on Butivka coal mine, an abandoned facility, which remains the strongest position of the Ukrainian army near the ruined Donetsk airport.


"A soldier from a mechanized brigade whose unit has been performing tasks in the Donetsk sector has been killed in an attack on the forces of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) near Butivka coal mine, which was mounted by the enemy with the use of 120mm and 82mm mortars," the press center of the ATO Headquarters reported on Wednesday evening.


Since the beginning of Wednesday, April 12, the occupiers have violated the ceasefire 52 times, including with the use of heavy weapons.

They used 120mm and 82mm mortars to shell Ukrainian positions near the villages of Hnutove and Vodiane in addition to Butivka. The towns of Maryinka and Avdiyivka also came under 82mm mortar fire, it said.
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https://www.unian.info/war/1874841-...rises-to-126-ukraines-humanitarian-envoy.html

The representative of Ukraine in the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group for the peaceful settlement in Donbas, First Deputy Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Iryna Gerashchenko says that the number of Ukrainian hostages in the occupied areas of Donbas has increased to 126 people.

"Unfortunately, there are already 126 people on the list of hostages that the Security Service provides us with; the number of illegally detained persons has grown as a result of more civilians being reported," Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook following the results of Wednesday’s meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk.

Militants demand that Ukraine hand over more than 600 detainees. Ukraine’s envoy stressed that 30 people among them have no relation to the ATO, and another 60 are not subject to amnesty because they committed "gravest crimes."



In this regard, she said that these were "the most painful issues of discussion."

Gerashchenko added that among the rest 500 people from the militants’ swap list, several hundred simply do not want to move back to the occupied territories.

"The [representatives of] ORDLO [certain (occupied) areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions] categorically refused to involve the ICRC and the UN in the process of collecting [evidence of] these refusals, although two months earlier they had discussed and insisted on engaging the UN mission." The Ukrainian side proposed as a compromise to involve in the process of confirming these signatures the office of the human rights commissioner. The process will be monitored by the OSCE, whose mission is directly part of the Minsk process. I very much hope that the process of collecting these signatures will finally begin. Today, these compromise proposals were agreed upon all sides," said Gerashchenko.

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https://www.unian.info/war/1875174-non-combat-losses-two-ukrainian-soldiers-died-in-ato-zone.html

Two Ukrainian soldiers died as a result of inappropriate weapon handling in the Donbas conflict zone, the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters reported on Facebook.

"Today, on April 13, two servicemen died in military units, where personnel carry out combat missions in the ATO zone in the Donetsk and Mariupol sectors," the report says.

According to preliminary information, the tragedies occurred as a result of a careless handling of weapons.

Circumstances of the tragic incident are being clarified. Representatives of the military service of law and order, the military prosecutor's office, and police are working on the scene.

"The officials responsible for the accidents will be prosecuted in accordance with the current legislation," the headquarters noted.
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https://www.unian.info/war/1875611-...troops-with-soviet-weapons-osint-experts.html

It is noted that the 291st Artillery Brigade of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces passed through the so-called Rostov-Ukrainian and Syrian "deployments."

"The fact of resuscitation of samples of Soviet weaponry produced in the 1960-1970s testifies to the problems of the Russian defense industry and the unfavorable situation in the state as a whole," InformNapalm said.


"The Russian military command had to pull out the clumsy and morally obsolete "bones of the Cold War", which are not very effective in modern combat conditions," the volunteers said.

Minister of Defence of Ukraine General of the Army of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak awarded Ukrainian military.

“I think that heroes who were and are at war and demonstrate courage despite their age or other limitations, can receive ranks, should have opportunity to study if they want,” Stepan Poltorak said, “Thank you for your decision to join the army and defend the Motherland.”
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The Ukrainian party of JCCC states that despite agreements achieved by the trilateral contact group on April 12, the illegal armed formations keep on shelling the Ukrainian positions.

As of 03:30 p.m. militants have already launched nine attacks against Vodyane, Talakivka, Opytne, Kateryniv, and Chermalyk using 122 mm artillery, anti-tank missile system, BMP, heavy machineguns and small arms.
 
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https://www.unian.info/war/1877761-...ain-thing-not-to-leave-own-border-behind.html

Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov has said that the ATO (Anti-Terrorist Operation) forces did not surrender one meter of Ukrainian soil over the past year.

"We have no other alternative but to win," Turchynov said in an interview with the BBC.

"Last year was the first when we did not surrender one meter of our soil. On the contrary, we gained dozens of kilometers," he said.

"Therefore, I believe that our task is to move east, meter by meter, kilometer per kilometer, minimizing our losses," the NSDC secretary said.

"The main thing is not to leave our own border behind," Turchynov added, jokingly.

Earlier, Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said that the Ukrainian security forces should already be ready for the return of the occupied territories of Donbas.

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https://www.unian.info/war/1877211-ukraine-reports-2-wias-amid-65-enemy-attacks-in-last-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 65 times in the past 24 hours with two Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

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"The Mariupol sector remains the center of fire confrontation. The enemy used 122mm artillery systems, 120mm mortars, infantry fighting vehicles and heavy machine guns against our soldiers near the village of Vodiane," the press service said. The defenders of the village of Shyrokyne came under fire from 120mm mortars, infantry fighting vehicles, ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns, grenade launchers and small arms.

"The Russian occupation forces fired 120mm mortars and small arms on the Ukrainian Marines near the village of Hnutove, as well as 82mm mortars and anti-tank grenade launchers near the village of Talakivka. The militants also shelled grenade launchers of various systems on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Pavlopil, and the towns of Maryinka and Krasnohorivka.

In addition, heavy machine guns were used against our defenders near Maryinka, and the villages of Chermalyk and Hranitne. Furthermore, the enemy fired small arms on the defenders of the village of Starohnativka. Snipers were also active near the villages of Vodiane, Talakivka, Pavlopil and Novotroyitske," the headquarters said.
In the Donetsk sector, the Russian-backed militants opened fire from 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems and heavy machine guns on the Ukrainian positions near the town of Avdiyivka.

The defenders of the village of Luhanske came under 82mm mortar fire. "The invaders opened fire from an anti-tank missile system, 82mm mortars, grenade launchers and infantry fighting vehicles on the defenders of the village of Opytne. Grenade launchers of various systems were used near the village of Nevelske, while ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns were used to attack the Ukrainian positions near the village of Kamianka.

Moreover, the enemy fired small arms and heavy machine guns on the defenders of Butivka coal mine," the report says. In the Luhansk sector, the militants shelled grenade launchers of various systems on the defenders of the villages of Novo-Oleksandrivka and Katerynivka.
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https://www.unian.info/war/1877274-...visers-instructors-underway-in-dpr-media.html

Unscheduled rotation of Russian military advisers and instructors is now under way in the divisions of the "1st Army Corps of the ‘DPR’" in a number of locations along the contact line (Horlivka, Dokuchaivsk, and Novoazovskiy district), as reported on Facebook by the coordinator of "Information Resistance" online community Dmytro Tymchuk.

In a number of units, officers of the Russian armed forces who arrived from Russia provided a 100% replacement," the statement reads. “The officers who were replaced are being sent back to Russia," reads the message.

At the same time, according to the IR, at the end of 2016, Russian officers in Donbas were informed that their deployment will last at least until the end of 2017.

"The reason for the emergency rotation of advisers and instructors is currently unknown," Tymchuk said.

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https://www.unian.info/kiev/1877674...n-home-of-russian-citizen-in-kyiv-region.html

Law enforcers in Kyiv region have detained a 33-year-old Russian national, who stored in his apartment a number of weapons, a TNT block stuffed with screws, lock-picks, and drugs, according to the National Police press service.

The man was detained under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, the report said. "Currently, we are verifying the way the detainee crossed into Ukraine and the actual purpose of his visit. In addition, we are investigating into his participation or involvement in plotting terrorist acts or sabotage, as well as if he had any accomplices, and who were his supervisors," the police said.


As UNIAN reported earlier, during a routine inspection in the lobby of one of the subway stations in Kharkiv, the police detained an individual, seizing from him three RGD grenades and fuses to them.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/416025.html

Four Ukrainian servicemen have been wounded in shellings by militants in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (АТО) zone since the beginning of Friday, the press center of the ATO headquarters reported.

"Since the beginning of the day, as of 15:00, Russian-terrorist units have violated the announced silence regime 24 times... Four servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were wounded in hostilities," the press center said on its Facebook page.

The enemy used 120 mm mortars during the shelling of Ukrainian positions near the town of Vodiane, 82-mm mortars near the towns of Verkhniotoretske, Avdiyivka, Kamyanka and Katerynivka.

Using grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns and small arms, the enemy fired at the strongholds of the ATO forces along the entire disengagement line, the ATO headquarters said.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/416037.html

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has said the Donetsk Filtering Station has been shelled over 200 times since the beginning of 2017.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Kyiv, OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said the SMM has attracted significant resources trying to protect the Donetsk Filtering Station in Yasynuvata. The station, as well as the nearby power lines, which provide drinking water and electricity, have been shelled than 200 times since the beginning of the year and in eight cases this led to breakdown of power lines and blackouts for a total of 38 days, Hug said.

According to him, direct hits of projectiles at the filtering station can lead to an ecological disaster, if a projectile hits for instance the chlorine tank at the filtering station.

Hug added that the observers are trying to obtain security guarantees from both sides so that the repair crews should be able to function normally and repair the damage.


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Nowadays and in past we do not bother about the "copyright" and other nonsense. We are not thieves - we allow to half of the world to produce Soviet weapons without licenses. We simply have a different attitude to the property, less greedy and more collective than in the West.

Nowadays and in past we do not bother about the "copyright" and other nonsense. We are not thieves - we allow to half of the world to produce Soviet weapons without licenses. We simply have a different attitude to the property, less greedy and more collective than in the West.
:tup:
 
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http://indianexpress.com/article/world/member-of-security-watchdog-osce-killed-in-ukraine-4625061/

By: Reuters | Published:April 23, 2017 7:51 pm

One member of European security watchdog OSCE’s monitoring mission in eastern Ukraine was killed and another injured after their vehicle drove over a mine near Luhansk. An American man was killed and a German woman was injured on Sunday morning, a spokesman for Austria’s foreign ministry said. Austria holds the rotating presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Three years after Moscow annexed the Crimean region, tensions between Ukraine and separatists in the Russian-held eastern part of the country remain high and a 2015 ceasefire agreement is violated regularly. The Ukrainian military said the incident took place at 10:17 local time (0717 GMT) near the small village of Pryshyb, which is controlled by pro-Russian separatists.

The unarmed, civilian OSCE mission with more than 700 international observers was deployed in 2014. The role of the monitors includes verifying the withdrawal of heavy weapons as agreed under the 2015 ceasefire agreement. Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz called for an investigation of the incident and, in a tweet, said he had spoken to the mission’s ambassador, Ertugrul Apakan.

“Need thorough investigation; those responsible will be held accountable,” he said on Twitter. A spokesman for the OSCE said further information would be released as it became available.

The 57 member states of the OSCE, which include Ukraine, Russia and the United States, in March extended its monitoring in Ukraine by a year.
 
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On Sunday, April 23, the vechicle of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission patrol exploded on a mine in the militant-controlled part of Luhansk region. An American paramedic was killed in the blast, while two other monitors, German and Czech nationals, were injured.

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https://www.unian.info/war/1894451-ukrainian-soldier-killed-in-attack-on-avdiyivka-on-tuesday.html

One Ukrainian soldier has been killed in an attack on positions of a mechanized brigade near the Ukrainian-controlled town of Avdiyivka in Donbas, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters.


"The enemy used 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns and small arms in that direction," the ATO HQ said on Tuesday, April 25.

In its further update the ATO HQ also reported about a wounded Ukrainian soldier, however, giving no further details where it happened.

As UNIAN reported earlier, one Ukrainian soldier was killed in action near Avdiyivka on Sunday, April 23. Since the beginning of Tuesday, the enemy has attacked Ukrainian troops 23 times.

https://www.unian.info/war/1885414-...represent-peak-of-its-warfare-capability.html

Bellingcat: Russia's tanks in Donbas represent "peak" of its warfare capability Russia has used the T-90 main battle tank and its variants in occupied Donbas, which currently represent "the peak of armored warfare capability of Russian ground forces," according to Bellingcat, an international OSINT community.


"In the summer of 2014, reports of T-90 family tank sightings in eastern Ukraine started to appear," Bellingcat said in its investigation titled "Tankspotting: T-90As in the Donbass" whose English version is available here. A distinctive feature often associated with the T-90 family tanks is "glowing eyes" on the turret. These "eyes" are the electro-optical interference emitters of the Shtora-1 active protection system, intended to disrupt the guidance systems of anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).


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"According to a situation update by Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council for the date, Ukrainian positions were holding at Novosvitlivka – just 6 km west of Lyse where the video has been filmed. Proximity of hostile forces could thus be one explanation of the uncovered elements of the Shtora-1 countermeasure suite," Bellingcat wrote.

The T-90A tanks are likely from the 136th Motorized Infantry Brigade, the investigative article concludes with reference to the sightings and analysis compiled by Askai707 and InformNapalm, another international OSINT community headquartered in Ukraine.

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https://www.unian.info/war/1892346-...-attack-maryinka-damage-civilians-houses.html

Residential quarters of the Ukrainian-controlled town of Maryinka in Donbas, Ukraine's east, have come under fire when Russia's hybrid forces mounted an attack on Ukrainian troops stationed near the town on Monday evening, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

"Houses are reported to have been damaged. At the moment, there is no report about casualties – either civilian or military ones," the ATO HQ said in a statement on Facebook. "Emergency services are now verifying information about types of weaponry used by the enemy. According to early reports, these were 82mm mortars, infantry fighting vehicles' guns and grenade launchers," it said.


"Today, on April 24, units of the Russian occupation forces used automated grenade launchers and small arms to fire on the Maryinka checkpoint of the State Border Service of Ukraine. The fire came from the village of Oleksandrivka in temporarily uncontrolled territory," it said.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/417878.html

Mobile operator Kyivstar jointly with Vodafone-Ukraine and lifecell hopes to arrange the distribution of 5 MHz frequencies for each operator in the 900 MHz range and provision of technology neutrality for this range with the National Commission for Communications and Informatization Regulation (NCCR).

Kyivstar President Petro Chernyshov said at a press conference that this would help to boost 3G coverage in Ukraine in a short period of time.

"The regulator stated arranging the exchange of frequencies in the 900 MHz range so that each operator has the 5 MHz range and technology neutrality. If no one upsets the process, and it sets to the end, we hope that any person who is travelling a train or a car by road or staying in the field will be able to use wonderful 3G. We and two other operators would make arrangements and clients of any operator will be able to use high-quality 3G," Chernyshov said.

He said that the use of this range would allow mobile operators to considerably expand the 3G coverage. Kyivstar could cover around 98% of Ukrainian population.

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https://www.unian.info/war/1894816-ukraine-reports-65-enemy-attacks-3-kias-4-wias-in-last-day.html
Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 65 times in the past 24 hours, with three Ukrainian soldiers reported as killed in action (KIA) and four as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.



In the Donetsk sector, the enemy opened fire from 120mm mortars, armored personnel carriers, anti-tank grenade launchers and heavy machine guns on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Pisky.

"The militants used 120mm mortars near the villages of Opytne and Luhanske, as well as 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types and heavy machine guns against the defenders of the town of Avdiyivka and the village of Kamianka. The defenders of Butivka coal mine came under fire from 82mm mortars. Infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns were used to shell our soldiers near the villages of Troyitske and Zaitseve, while the Ukrainian positions near the village of Novhorodske were attacked with machine guns and a Zu-23-2 anti-aircraft gun. The enemy also used infantry fighting vehicles near the village of Verkhniotoretske. Furthermore, enemy snipers were active near Avdiyivka and Novhorodske," the report says.

In the Mariupol sector, the Russian occupation forces fired 120mm mortars and automatic grenade launchers on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Novotroyitske. The Ukrainian Marines near the villages of Vodiane and Hnutove were fired upon from 82mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types and heavy machine guns, while the defenders of the town of Maryinka came under fire from 82mm mortars.


The invaders also fired grenade launchers and heavy machine guns on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the town of Krasnohorivka, as well as grenade launchers and small arms near the villages of Shyrokyne and Pavlopil. Infantry fighting vehicles were also used against the Ukrainian Marines near Vodiane and Shyrokyne. Moreover, enemy snipers were working near Novotroyitske. "In the Luhansk sector, the Russian-backed mercenaries opened fire from 122mm artillery systems, ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns, armored personnel carriers and anti-tank grenade launchers on our fortified positions near the village of Novo-Oleksandrivka.

The enemy used 82mm mortars near the village of Zhovte, as well as grenade launchers of various systems against our positions near the village of Krymske and the town of Popasna. In addition, the defenders of the village of Novozvanivka came under fire from heavy machine guns and armored personnel carriers," the press service said.

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