Civil war in Ukraine: News & discussion

[Hindustani78]

Three Ukrainian soldiers buried in Dnipro

1 / 11 Rapid Trident 2017 kicks off in Lviv region

 

[Hindustani78]

Commanding Officer of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Anatoliy Shtefan has announced another Russian mercenary, Gennadiy Mironov, was killed in Donbas.

https://www.unian.info/war/2128726-another-russian-mercenary-killed-in-donbas-photo.html

"We continue our regular column. Russian militant Gennadiy Mironov from the town of Temryuk in Krasnodar Krai was eliminated in September 2017," he wrote on Facebook.


The Russian was included in the database of the Ukrainian Myrotvorets (Peacemaker) website. He had taken part in hostilities in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, since August 2014.

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Counterespionage operatives of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have arrested a Kharkiv-based man who is reported to have set up a clandestine network of human intelligence assets across Kharkiv region in favor of the Russian intel services, as reported by the SBU press service.


The SBU revealed that the 18-strong network, established upon orders from Russian intelligence, included a combat sabotage unit and a number of informers. The network’s supervisor is said to be stationed in Russia’s Belgorod.

SBU operatives have documented numerous trips of the group leader to Russia where he was issued orders and assignments. The perpetrator was detained upon obtaining classified data on military developments within the framework of the state defense order.


During the searches, computer hardware was seized as well as cell phones provided by Russian operatives to ensure the systemic transfer of intel. Some 14 data carriers were also seized, including those containing classified files; lists of logins and passwords to emails; and coding keys for communication with Russian intelligence.

During raids in the homes of other members of the clandestine network established by the Ukrainian counterintelligence, more evidence was collected of their ties to the Russian security forces.

At one of the group members’ home, the coordinates of a cache of weapons and ammunition stored ahead of the planned acts of sabotage were discovered. The cache appeared to contain two RPG-22 grenade launchers, four F-1 and RGD-2 grenades with fuses, and a TNT granade.


The six detainees, including the group’s coordinator, have been issued suspicion notices. The network members are charged with high treason (Part 1 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

As UNIAN reported earlier, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said that Russian clandestine networks remained important tools of special operations of Russian intelligence services in an undeclared war against Ukraine, therefore the Ukrainian security forces would pursue their efforts to hinder their subversive activities.

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https://www.unian.info/war/2128921-un-reports-26-civilians-killed-in-donbas-in-may-august.html

The UN monitoring mission in May-August recorded the deaths of 26 civilians in Donbas, while another 135 people were wounded, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).


From May 16 to August 15, 2017, OHCHR recorded 161 conflict-related civilian casualties (26 deaths and 135 injuries), slightly more than half of which were caused by shelling," OHCHR said in a report on the human rights situation in Ukraine.


"The monthly totals of civilian casualties decreased from May to June and again from June to July, possibly attributable in part to the 'harvest ceasefire' which commenced on June 24. Nevertheless, the daily reality of sudden spikes and drops in armed hostilities, including shelling, continued to pose physical risks and psychological trauma," reads the report.

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https://www.unian.info/war/2128969-ukraines-def-ministry-puts-most-of-air-force-units-on-alert.html

Almost all combat military units of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are put on alert for the review of readiness to perform tasks, according to the Office of Public Relations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

War 12:20, 12 September 2017

"During the fulfillment of these measures, reserve officers of the first and second phases are being called for military training to completing these military units to full staff," the report says.


The Defense Ministry noted that special attention was paid to the ability of military units to organize the reserve staff and its comprehensive support. A series of individual training will be also held with the reservists.

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The International Peacekeeping and Security Centre (Lviv oblast) became a venue for an official opening ceremony of the Rapid Trident 2017 international exercise. Exercise co-directors are Col. Serhii Litvinov (Ukraine) and Col. David Jordan (the USA). “Today, your support is very important for us. Experience of our colleagues is valuable for the Ukrainian army. I hope we’ll share our experience with our foreign partners. Our aim is the same such as to defend, protect, and develop. And it’s easier to achieve it together,” Col. Litvinov stressed. About 2,500 troops from 15 countries (Ukraine, the USA, Canada, Bulgaria, Georgia, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Turkey, and the UK) will undergo maneuvers during two weeks. Rapid Trident is an exercise focusing on implementation of experience of different armies, sharing professional skills, enhancement of cooperation among units of different countries and validating training of units under JMTG-U program

 

[Hindustani78]

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“Ukrainian and Turkish fleets cooperate on security and stability-related issues in the region of the Black Sea, and we will continue our cooperation and the visits of the Turkish ships to Odesa are a demonstration of our achieved agreements,” Commander of the Ukrainian Navy Vice Admiral Ihor Voronchenko said during a meeting with the Turkish delegation. Turkish ship TCG Bayraktar (L402) with cadets onboard docked in Odesa port and will stay in Odesa till September 12. Vice Admiral Ihor Voronchenko praised the long history of cooperation and thanked the Turkish party for support and participation in Sea Breeze 2017 exercise. The parties mentioned the importance of development of cooperation and relationship between the two fleets.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.unian.info/war/2131501-...tion-of-lpr-envoy-in-minsk-to-russia-ngo.html

The "People's Council" of the so-called "Luhansk People's Republic" ("LPR") has reportedly stripped "LPR" representative in the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk Vladislav Deynego of his "deputy" mandate, resulting in a notorious response from members of the self-proclaimed republic, according to Information Resistance, a Ukrainian non-governmental project on information security.

"Despite the fact that Deynego talks about the allegedly new 'work in the republic,' his 'colleagues' are sure that the Russian president's administration is preparing his 'evacuation' to Russia after the latter's personal agreement with [Putin's aide Vladislav] Surkov," head of Information Resistance Group, military analyst and Member of Parliament Dmytro Tymchuk wrote on Facebook.

Earlier Tymchuk reported that Russia had planned large-scale personnel reshuffle in the so-called "Donetsk People's Republic."

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https://www.unian.info/war/2130941-ukraine-reports-2-wias-amid-27-enemy-attacks-in-last-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 27 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 Donetsk sector saw most of escalation: the Russian-backed mercenaries fired 120mm and 82mm mortars, heavy machine guns and grenade launchers four times on our positions near the town of Avdiyivka. In the evening and at night, the invaders also attacked the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Pisky three times, using 120mm and 82mm mortars, grenade launchers, infantry fighting vehicles and small arms. In addition, the enemy lobbed twelve 82mm shells into area near the village of Kamianka at about 20:00 Kyiv time," the report says.


In the Mariupol sector, the militants used a mortar and grenade launcher near the village of Shyrokyne. They also attacked the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Vodiane twice.

The only hot spot in the Luhansk sector was the village of Krymske where the enemy opened fire from grenade launchers and heavy machine guns to shell the Ukrainian fortified positions in the evening.

"In some cases when there was a direct threat to the life of the Ukrainian military, ATO troops were forced to return fire several times," the ATO HQ said.

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In Kherson oblast, in the framework of exercise Steadfast Firmness 2017 the military worked out military Dnipro river crossing exercise. The engineer units ensured the delivery of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other equipment by means of pontoon raft. Other units worked out activities of special treatment of military equipment, smoke and aerosol screen, and topographic support of troops actions.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.unian.info/war/2133666-...pen-fire-on-ukraines-maryinka-checkpoint.html

Illegal armed groups attacked the Maryinka entry and exit checkpoint in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on Wednesday evening, according to the press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

War 13:09, 14 September 2017

"Last night, the illegal armed groups opened fire on the Maryinka checkpoint, where the border guards have been serving together with other agencies. The attack was mounted from the militant-controlled village of Oleksandrivka. The militants used small arms," the border guards told UNIAN.

There were no casualties among the servicemen and civilians. Border guards did not fire back.

According to the State Border Guard Service, the Russian-backed troops have attacked Ukrainian border guards' positions 41 times since the beginning of the year.

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https://www.unian.info/war/2133284-...25-times-one-soldier-wounded-in-last-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 25 times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

"The situation was most escalated in the Donetsk sector," the ATO HQ wrote on Facebook on Thursday morning.

"The militants used different types of grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms to attack our positions near the town of Avdiyivka four times," the ATO HQ said.

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At about noon, September 13, there were recorded explosions and sporadic small arms fire on non-government controlled areas of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts near Vasylivka which is near Yasynuvata (Donetsk oblast) where water pump station is located. The station personnel were evacuated.

The JCCC observers proved that the shots were not from Ukrainian government controlled areas. Militants made explosions near their positions.

The Ukrainian party of the JCCC remarks that militants have been performing these provocations during several months to threaten local population and formation of alleged threat for civil infrastructure from the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian party of the JCCC stressed that the Ukrainian units observe the ceasefire.

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[Hindustani78]

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 28 times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action (KIA) and two as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

The situation was tense in the Mariupol sector, where the Russian-backed mercenaries opened fire from grenade launchers and heavy machine guns three times near the village of Vodiane. They also launched seven 82mm mines near the town of Maryinka. In addition, the Ukrainian fortified positions near the villages of Pavlopil, Talakivka and Hnutove came under enemy shelling.


It was also hot in the Donetsk sector, where the occupiers fired from mortars and infantry fighting vehicles on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Zaitseve, as well as grenade launchers twice on the Avdiyivka industrial zone. At about 21:00 Kyiv time, the enemy started firing grenade launchers and machine guns on the Ukrainian positions near Butivka coal mine. The ATO forces fired back and forced the militants to observe the ceasefire. Unfortunately, one Ukrainian soldier, Serhiy Almuzhniy, call sign "Matros" [Sailor] of the 72nd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was killed in the shelling.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/448755.html

Russia's hybrid military forces have attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 28 times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action and two as wounded in action, according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters.

"At the end of the last day, the situation was somewhat exacerbated in the ATO area, but remained under the control of the Ukrainian army. After 6 p.m., the militants intensified shelling of our positions in all directions, using mortars of the 82-mm caliber [...]. In total for the past day, Russian-occupation groups violated ceasefire regime 28 times. The ATO forces opened fire 13 times. As a result of hostilities, one Ukrainian soldier has been killed, two injured," the ATO staff wrote on Facebook on Friday morning.

In the Mariupol sector, the Russian-backed mercenaries opened fire from grenade launchers and heavy machine guns three times near the village of Vodiane. They also launched seven 82mm mines near the town of Maryinka. In addition, the Ukrainian fortified positions near the villages of Pavlopil, Talakivka and Hnutove came under enemy shelling.

In the Donetsk sector, the occupiers fired from mortars and infantry fighting vehicles on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Zaitseve, as well as grenade launchers twice on the Avdiyivka industrial zone. At about 21:00 Kyiv time, the enemy started firing grenade launchers and machine guns on the Ukrainian positions near Butivka coal mine. The ATO forces fired back and forced the militants to observe the ceasefire. Unfortunately, one Ukrainian soldier was killed in the shelling.

In the Luhansk sector, after almost a week's lull, the Russian occupation forces used mortars, various types of grenade launchers and small arms six times against the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Krymske evening and night.

For its part, the staff of the Ukrainian army operation in Donbas said that the enemy had mounted 28 attacks in the past 24 hours, killing one soldier and inflicting injuries on two more.

"Tensions escalated a bit [in the army operation zone], yet the Ukrainian army stayed in control. Gunfire intensified in every sector after 6 p.m.," the staff said.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/448790.html

Some 69 protocols have been completed for persons who illegally crossed the Shehyni Poland-Ukraine border checkpoint on September 10, State Border Guard Service official Oleh Slobodian has told the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news service.

"Some 69 protocols have been formulated for persons who where identified," he said on Thursday.

Slobodian said 14 of the individuals returned to the checkpoint and signed the relevant protocols. The protocol for ex-Odesa State Regional Administration chief was read to him aloud.

Saakashvili arrived in Ukraine on September 10. His supporters gathered at the Shehyni checkpoint and began a fight with border guards in the transit zone, helping Saakashvili and a group of other people, including five parliamentarians, illegally cross the border. Thirteen Ukrainian National Police officers and nine border guards were injured in the incident.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/448655.html

Ten militants have been killed and ten more have been wounded and injured as a result of hostilities in the area of the anti-terrorist operation in the Donbas over the past week, Defense Ministry spokesperson Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said.

"We have confirmed losses of the enemy over the past week. There were ten dead and ten wounded invaders from September 4 to 10," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday, September 12.

He added that one unmanned aerial vehicle had also been shot down over the past week.

Motuzianyk said that two fighters from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic surrendered as part of the program of the Security Service of Ukraine entitled "They are waiting for you at home."

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[Hindustani78]

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/448998.html

Illegal armed formations attacked Ukrainian troops in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone 14 times from 00:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time on Friday, September 15, the press center of the ATO Headquarters said.

"Since midnight, illegal armed groups violated the ceasefire 14 times. ATO forces had to fire back to deter five most aggressive attacks. There are no casualties among our defenders," the ATO HQ said in an update as of 18:00 Kyiv time posted on Facebook.

The situation in the ATO zone did not change much on that day. Militants continued shelling Ukrainian positions in all directions, occasionally resorting to 82mm mortars.

In particular, they lobbed 15 mortar shells into Ukrainian positions near the village of Novotoshkivske in the Luhansk sector.

In the Mariupol sector, the enemy opened fire from small arms three times near the village of Talakivka. Ukrainian positions outside the village of Vodiane came under grenade fire twice.

Militants used large-caliber machine guns to fire on Ukrainian positions near the village of Zaitseve and the town of Avdiyivka in the Donetsk sector. Fire from small arms was also reported near the Butovka coal mine.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/economic/448997.html

Being pressed by Russia, Siemens has reportedly refused to continue shipments of equipment for the modernization of the Ukrainian gas transportation system (GTS), CEO of NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine Andriy Kobolev has said.

"The first batch of compressors was supplied. These were compressors from Siemens, but then Siemens called and said that if they brought more, they would lose the Russian market," Kobolev announced at the 14th annual YES conference in Kyiv on Friday, September 15.

He said Ukraine had to negotiate new supplies with General Electric.


Kobolev did not give details at Interfax-Ukraine's request to specify when exactly it had happened, advising to address this issue to the company's press service. "Such a situation did take place," he reiterated without specifying other details.


He also said that for the modernization of Ukraine's GTS, it is necessary to evaluate prospects for transit supplies of Russian gas after Ukraine's contract with Gazprom expires in 2019. Thus, he once again stressed the need to oppose the Russian Nord Stream 2 project as a politically motivated one.

He cited the example of the South Stream project, proposed by Russia, which, in connection with its approval by Turkey, means the loss of the southern branch of the Ukrainian GTS.

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During working travel to Lviv oblast, Minister of Defence of Ukraine General of the Army of Ukraine Stepan Poltorakparticipated in an opening ceremony of the 25th Military Law Enforcement Training Centre.

“You defend our country and you have stopped the enemy invading our land in violation of all international norms and agreements. The Military Law Enforcement is responsible for controlling the service personnel execute rules of law and law enforcement, convoying troops in east of Ukraine, guard and defence of key facilities, etc.Meanwhile, your tasks are complex,” Gen. Poltorak said.

According to the Minister of Defence of Ukraine there is no time for experiments regarding training of service personnel. It is symbolic that Lviv hosts two opening ceremonies of training centers such as Military Law Enforcement Center and Imitation Training Center today.

“It’s impossible to ensure good quality of training of our service personnel without good training facilities. A well-trained, motivated soldier who is true patriot of his land can defend his/her country,” the Minister underscored.

“It’s great that we are not alone in this process. Our international partners — Canada, the USA, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, etc. — help us to develop and prepare our training facilities. They assist us in development of infrastructure, personnel training, provide advisory support,” he mentioned.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.unian.info/war/2138624-russia-loses-another-uav-in-donbas-photos.html

A reportedly Russian-made unmanned aerial vehicle, Orlan-10, crashed in Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on Saturday, September 16, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

"In the first half of the day yesterday, the Orlan fell due to a technical failure. It belongs to the models manufactured in Russia. The Orlan-10 is developed by Russian-based Special Technological Center Ltd. The hull and the engine are made in Russia, its electronic components come from Taiwan, which, however, is no surprise," the ATO HQ said.

The UAV had closely been monitored by the Ukrainian air defense forces before it crashed. Russia often uses this model in Donbas for reconnaissance and adjustment of artillery fire.


"The UAV is not cheap, the system itself costs 18 million rubles [over US$310,000], and the price of the drone alone is around 5-7 million rubles [US$87,000 – US$120,000]. These UAVs are a serious threat and, as a rule, are used in a group of two or three aircraft per operation. If there are three drones in the group, the first one is used for reconnaissance from a height of 1-1.5 km, the second one for electronic warfare, and the third one is a transponder that transmits intelligence information to the control center (it flies at a height of 4.5-5 km or higher). More often, the group consists of two devices for reconnaissance and uplink. It is likely that if two UAVs are engaged, the one used for reconnaissance additionally carries equipment for electronic jamming," the ATO HQ said.

According to the press center, the Orlan-10 is a short-range tactical UAV. It does not require a runway for take-off and landing as it is launched from the catapult. It can also land with a parachute.

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https://www.unian.info/war/2139206-...-one-ukrainian-soldier-wounded-in-action.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian troops in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, 13 times from 00:00 to 18:00 on Sunday, September 17, as a result of which one Ukrainian soldier was wounded in action, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.


Since midnight, militants had been shelling areas near Avdiyivka's industrial zone and the village of Nevelske, using grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns and small arms for several hours in a row. Ukrainian troops stationed near the village of Pisky also came under enemy fire at night. At about 13:00 local time, one Ukrainian soldier was wounded in an attack on an ATO position near the village of Novoselivka Druha," the ATO HQ said in an update on Facebook as of 18:00 on September 17. The condition of the wounded soldier is stable, he is now in hospital, it added.

The condition of the wounded soldier is stable, he is now in hospital, it added. Russian-backed militants opened fire near the village Vodiane in the Mariupol sector twice during the night. Fire from a large-caliber machine gun near the village of Starohnativka lasted for more than two hours.


Russian-backed militants opened fire near the village Vodiane in the Mariupol sector twice during the night. Fire from a large-caliber machine gun near the village of Starohnativka lasted for more than two hours.


Escalation was reported in the Luhansk sector where the enemy considerably increased attacks. At about 02:00 local time, Russian proxies mounted an attack on Ukrainian troops near the village of Novozvanivka, using different types of machine guns and small arms. "The ATO forces responded to almost every second attack with dense fire," it said.

"The ATO forces responded to almost every second attack with dense fire," it said. The ATO HQ earlier reported that 35 enemy attacks were recorded on Saturday, September 16. There were no casualties among Ukrainian troops on that day.

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https://www.unian.info/war/2139406-...-1st-time-since-latest-ceasefire-settled.html

Russian-occupation forces violated the truce 31 times over the past day, while the forces of the Anti-Terrorist Operation returned fire 14 times in the same period, according to the ATO HQ.


At the end of the past day, the situation in the ATO zone remained tense but under complete control by the Ukrainian army, reads the report published on Facebook. It was traditionally hot in the evening hours and overnight in the so-called Promzona, the industrial zone in Avdiyivka.

Here, Russian mercenaries fired on the Ukrainian strongpoints from their grenade launchers of various types, large-caliber machine guns and small arms. The same types of weapons were used twice against the Ukrainian defenders at Butivka coal mine’s air shaft.

It was traditionally hot in the evening hours and overnight in the so-called Promzona, the industrial zone in Avdiyivka. Here, Russian mercenaries fired on the Ukrainian strongpoints from their grenade launchers of various types, large-caliber machine guns and small arms. The same types of weapons were used twice against the Ukrainian defenders at Butivka coal mine’s air shaft.


In the Luhansk direction for the first time since the beginning of the latest “truce,” the enemy used artillery. At about 21:00, the militants opened fire from 122-millimeter artillery on the outskirts of Novotoshkivske. 82mm mortars fired near Krymske and Prychipylivka.

In Prymorsk direction, mercenaries fired an anti-aircraft gun in the vicinity of Hnutove, and large-caliber machine guns - two times near Vodiane.

In general, over the past day, Russian-occupation groups have violated the truce 31 times. In response, ATU forces opened fire 14 times. One Ukrainian soldier was wounded in action.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/449338.html

A Russian-made Orlan unmanned aerial vehicle has crashed in the Anti-Terrorist Operation zone in eastern Ukraine because of a technical failure, the press center of the ATO Headquarters has said.

"The Ukrainian air defense forces did not manage to bring the enemy Orlan UAV down, although they had been tracking its route closely. The Orlan fell due to a technical malfunction of the system in the first half of the day yesterday [September 16]. It matches the model produced in Russia. The Orlan-10 is developed by Russian-based Special Technological Center Ltd.," the ATO HQ press center said on Facebook on Sunday, September 17.

The drone fell near the village of Novohradivka in Donetsk region.

Its hull and engine are made in Russia, electronic components are from Taiwan.

The press center added that Russia often uses drones in Donbas for reconnaissance and adjustment of artillery fire and, as a rule, they fly in a group of two or three aircraft per operation.

This Orlan-10 is a short-range tactical UAV, it added.

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[Hindustani78]

https://www.unian.info/war/2141851-...mes-in-last-day-ukraine-army-fights-back.html

Late Monday, September 19, the situation in the zone of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Donbas remained tense but under full control of the Ukrainian forces, according to a Tuesday morning report of the ATO HQ published on Facebook.

Both in the daytime and the evening hours, the enemy’s efforts were mainly focused on the Avdiyivka’s “Promzona,” the strategically important industrial area in town. Militants fired on Ukrainian strongholds in the area twice from various types of grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms. Ukrainian troops returned fire, forcing the enemy to return to observing ceasefire.

At about 23:00, Russian occupation forces launched seven mines of a 82mm caliber near Pisky and also fired from weapons installed on an infantry fighting vehicle near Zaitseve.


In the Prymorsk direction, mercenaries used an 82mm mortar and a large-caliber machine gun on the outskirts of Shyrokine.

On the Luhansk line, Ukrainian positions were shelled once, near the village of Novotoshkivske, at about 23:00. In general, over the past day, Russian-occupation forces violated the ceasefire 14 times.

In nine cases, the Ukrainian troops returned fire. As a result of the fighting, two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ukrainian tank crews' drills

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https://www.unian.info/war/2146094-...ighting-alongside-separatists-in-ukraine.html

A court in northeastern Kazakhstan has handed down a suspended prison sentence to a local man convicted of fighting alongside Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, according to Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).


Authorities in the city of Semei said on September 20 that the man, whose name was not disclosed, was convicted of illegally participating in armed conflicts abroad, illegally possessing firearms, and gave him a 3 1/2-year suspended sentence, RFE/RL said.

According to the authorities, the man joined the separatists in Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk in July 2016 and fought against Ukrainian government forces until December 2016.

At least three other Kazakh citizens have been jailed in Kazakhstan on similar charges since fighting between government forces and separatists broke out in eastern Ukraine in April 2014.

The conflict has killed more than 10,000 people. In November 2016, a court in the northwestern city of Aqtobe sentenced one of them, Maksim Yermolov, to three years in prison.

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Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 19 times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.


The situation in the ATO area somewhat escalated last night as the enemy intensified its attacks significantly in the Donetsk sector after 18:00. The militants fired at Ukrainian strong points near the Avdiyivka's industrial area, using various types of grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms for several hours.

Ukrainian soldiers suppressed enemy attacks. As a result of the fire confrontation one of Ukraine's defenders was wounded about 18:00. The ATO strongholds came under machine-gun fire three times, while those near the villages of Maiorsk, Zaitseve, and Nevelske were attacked twice.

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https://www.unian.info/war/2150829-ukraine-reports-1-wia-amid-27-enemy-attacks-in-last-day.html
09:55, 23 September 2017



Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 27 times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.


The Ukrainian forces returned fire 19 times, using weapons not banned by Minsk agreements. In the Donetsk sector, in the evening hours and overnight, militants fired three times from heavy machine guns and small arms at the Ukrainian fortified positions near Avdiyivka's industrial zone and the village of Kamianka, while using the same weapons twice outside the villages of Zaitseve and Nevelske. Ukraine's strongholds near Butivka coal mine and the village of Pisky also came under enemy fire.

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https://www.unian.info/war/2151309-...led-amid-two-attacks-in-donbas-on-sep-23.html

ATO HQ update: One Ukrainian soldier killed amid two attacks in Donbas on Sep 23 Russia's hybrid military forces violated the ceasefire in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, two times as of 18:00 on September 23, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action in the Luhansk sector, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

"The enemy opened fire from small arms near the village of Novo-Oleksandrivka in the Luhansk sector. Our military returned fire symmetrically. As a result of the confrontation one of Ukraine's defenders was mortally wounded," the ATO QH reported.

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InformNapalm OSINT community experts have already reported on the participation of Russian marines in the war in eastern Ukraine.


In the initial phase of the Russian aggression in Donbas, InformNapalm spoke about the deployment of tactical task forces of the 61th Marine Brigade (MB) and 200th Motorized Rifle Brigade (MRB) of the Russian Northern Fleet, InformNapalm reports. Some progress has been made in the search and identification of war criminals from the 61st Marine Infantry Brigade, as we have identified 25 marines who used to fight in Ukraine in 2014.

So far, little has been known about the aggressors of the Russian 200th MRB, but soon Ukrainian volunteers vow to fill this gap soon The 200th MRB (military unit 08275, Pechenga, Murmansk Oblast) featured for the first time in our investigation on September 10, 2014 when a tactical task force in full combat gear was spotted in the Kamenskiy district of the Rostov Oblast, Russia, bordering Ukraine. A little later, in November 2014, photos were found, which showed the brigade’s battle route in the Rostov Oblast and Ukraine.

Read more: The tour of duty for the Russian Northern Fleet’s 200th Special-purpose Motorized Rifle Brigade in Rostov region and Ukraine and The tour of duty for the Russian Northern Fleet’s 200th Special-purpose Motorized Rifle Brigade in Rostov region and Ukraine. Part 2. By the end of 2015, we published an investigation based on the information about Rostov-Ukraine deployments of the personnel of 200th MRB leaked by an employee of the Saint Petersburg Military Repair Plant, who was preparing the equipment for the invasion of Ukraine.

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Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian troops in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, 22 times on Sunday, September 24, as a result of which two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in action (WIA) on that day, according to the press center of the Ukrainian Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

"In the evening and at night, the situation in the ATO zone was tense again. The Russian occupation forces did not stop shelling out positions in all directions, however, no mortars and other types of heavy weapons were used by the enemy in the past day. Militants were most active in the Mariupol sector. Occupiers opened fire on Ukrainian troops near the villages of Vodiane and Hnutove twice, using grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns," the ATO HQ said on Facebook on Monday morning.

The same types of weapons were used by the enemy near the town of Svitlodarsk in the Donetsk sector. Adversaries opened fire from large-caliber machine guns near the town of Avdiyivka and Butivka coalmine.

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

Specialists of the 924th State Center for Unmanned Aviation (UAV) of Russia's Defense Ministry have arrived in the occupied Donbas, according to Ukraine's Defense Ministry.

"According to available data, specialists of the 924th State Center of Unmanned Aviation of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation stationed in Lipetsk have arrived in the occupied territory [Donbas]," defense ministry spokesman for Anti-Terrorist Operation issues Andriy Lysenko has said at a briefing on Monday, September 25.

This is due to an increase in failures of Russian UAVs during performing tasks. It is also assumed that new prototypes of such equipment are being tested now, he said.

As was reported earlier, the Russian Orlan-type drone crashed in Donetsk region in the middle of September 2017.

***********
https://www.unian.info/war/2152501-ukraine-reports-22-attacks-in-donbas-two-wias-in-past-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian troops in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, 22 times on Sunday, September 24, as a result of which two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in action (WIA) on that day, according to the press center of the Ukrainian Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.


"In the evening and at night, the situation in the ATO zone was tense again. The Russian occupation forces did not stop shelling out positions in all directions, however, no mortars and other types of heavy weapons were used by the enemy in the past day. Militants were most active in the Mariupol sector. Occupiers opened fire on Ukrainian troops near the villages of Vodiane and Hnutove twice, using grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns," the ATO HQ said on Facebook on Monday morning.

The same types of weapons were used by the enemy near the town of Svitlodarsk in the Donetsk sector. Adversaries opened fire from large-caliber machine guns near the town of Avdiyivka and Butivka coalmine.

According to the ATO HQ, the enemy mounted an attack on ATO forces near the village of Novozvanivka in the Luhansk sector at about 17:00 local time on September 24. They used grenade launchers and small arms. "Our forces' response was tough. But unfortunately, one Ukrainian defender was wounded in this fighting. He was rushed to hospital. His condition is satisfactory now. What is more, militants used grenade launchers near the villages of Krymske, Donets and Valuyske in the same sector," the ATO HQ said.

In total, the ATO troops fired back 18 times when there was a threat to their life.

********

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450745.html

As of Monday morning, a fire at the ammunition depot near the village of Novoyanysol, Nikolske district, Donetsk region, has been extinguished, the work on removal of explosives continues, the State Emergencies Service of Ukraine reported.

"As of 07:00, on September 9, 90 people and 33 units of equipment were involved in cleaning up the consequences of the emergency, of them 38 people and 15 units of equipment come from the State Emergency Situations Service," the ministry said on Monday.

As reported, at 15:40 on September 22, a fire broke out near Novoyanysol, Nikolsky district, Donetsk region, which triggered the explosion of ammunition on the territory of the arms depot of a military unit of the Defense Ministry. At 05:47 on September 23, the fire was put out. No casualties have been reported.

*************
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450847.html

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has stated that ten people are missing in Crimea, but the disappearance of only one of them is being investigated.

"OHCHR documented 10 cases of persons who disappeared and are still missing," reads a report by OHCHR for the period from February 22, 2014 to September 12, 2017, which was published on Monday.

It notes that out of the ten missing, six are Crimean Tatars, three ethnic Ukrainians and one Russian-Tatar, and all of them are men.

According to the UN, seven of them went missing in 2014, two in 2015 and one in 2016.

As of September 12, of the ten disappearances mentioned, criminal investigations were still ongoing in only one case. They were suspended in six cases due to the inability to identify suspects, and in three cases "no investigative actions have been taken as the disappearances were allegedly not reported."

The first recorded case of enforced disappearance in Crimea occurred on March 3, 2014. The highest number of enforced disappearances in a single month occurred in March 2014, when at least 21 persons were abducted in Crimea. While the majority of victims were released by perpetrators within hours or days, the whereabouts of others are still unknown.

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

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450745.html

As of Monday morning, a fire at the ammunition depot near the village of Novoyanysol, Nikolske district, Donetsk region, has been extinguished, the work on removal of explosives continues, the State Emergencies Service of Ukraine reported.

"As of 07:00, on September 9, 90 people and 33 units of equipment were involved in cleaning up the consequences of the emergency, of them 38 people and 15 units of equipment come from the State Emergency Situations Service," the ministry said on Monday.

As reported, at 15:40 on September 22, a fire broke out near Novoyanysol, Nikolsky district, Donetsk region, which triggered the explosion of ammunition on the territory of the arms depot of a military unit of the Defense Ministry. At 05:47 on September 23, the fire was put out. No casualties have been reported.

*************
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450847.html

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has stated that ten people are missing in Crimea, but the disappearance of only one of them is being investigated.

"OHCHR documented 10 cases of persons who disappeared and are still missing," reads a report by OHCHR for the period from February 22, 2014 to September 12, 2017, which was published on Monday.

It notes that out of the ten missing, six are Crimean Tatars, three ethnic Ukrainians and one Russian-Tatar, and all of them are men.

According to the UN, seven of them went missing in 2014, two in 2015 and one in 2016.

As of September 12, of the ten disappearances mentioned, criminal investigations were still ongoing in only one case. They were suspended in six cases due to the inability to identify suspects, and in three cases "no investigative actions have been taken as the disappearances were allegedly not reported."

The first recorded case of enforced disappearance in Crimea occurred on March 3, 2014. The highest number of enforced disappearances in a single month occurred in March 2014, when at least 21 persons were abducted in Crimea. While the majority of victims were released by perpetrators within hours or days, the whereabouts of others are still unknown.

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

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450745.html

As of Monday morning, a fire at the ammunition depot near the village of Novoyanysol, Nikolske district, Donetsk region, has been extinguished, the work on removal of explosives continues, the State Emergencies Service of Ukraine reported.

"As of 07:00, on September 9, 90 people and 33 units of equipment were involved in cleaning up the consequences of the emergency, of them 38 people and 15 units of equipment come from the State Emergency Situations Service," the ministry said on Monday.

As reported, at 15:40 on September 22, a fire broke out near Novoyanysol, Nikolsky district, Donetsk region, which triggered the explosion of ammunition on the territory of the arms depot of a military unit of the Defense Ministry. At 05:47 on September 23, the fire was put out. No casualties have been reported.

*************
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450847.html

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has stated that ten people are missing in Crimea, but the disappearance of only one of them is being investigated.

"OHCHR documented 10 cases of persons who disappeared and are still missing," reads a report by OHCHR for the period from February 22, 2014 to September 12, 2017, which was published on Monday.

It notes that out of the ten missing, six are Crimean Tatars, three ethnic Ukrainians and one Russian-Tatar, and all of them are men.

According to the UN, seven of them went missing in 2014, two in 2015 and one in 2016.

As of September 12, of the ten disappearances mentioned, criminal investigations were still ongoing in only one case. They were suspended in six cases due to the inability to identify suspects, and in three cases "no investigative actions have been taken as the disappearances were allegedly not reported."

The first recorded case of enforced disappearance in Crimea occurred on March 3, 2014. The highest number of enforced disappearances in a single month occurred in March 2014, when at least 21 persons were abducted in Crimea. While the majority of victims were released by perpetrators within hours or days, the whereabouts of others are still unknown.

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

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450745.html

As of Monday morning, a fire at the ammunition depot near the village of Novoyanysol, Nikolske district, Donetsk region, has been extinguished, the work on removal of explosives continues, the State Emergencies Service of Ukraine reported.

"As of 07:00, on September 9, 90 people and 33 units of equipment were involved in cleaning up the consequences of the emergency, of them 38 people and 15 units of equipment come from the State Emergency Situations Service," the ministry said on Monday.

As reported, at 15:40 on September 22, a fire broke out near Novoyanysol, Nikolsky district, Donetsk region, which triggered the explosion of ammunition on the territory of the arms depot of a military unit of the Defense Ministry. At 05:47 on September 23, the fire was put out. No casualties have been reported.

*************
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450847.html

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has stated that ten people are missing in Crimea, but the disappearance of only one of them is being investigated.

"OHCHR documented 10 cases of persons who disappeared and are still missing," reads a report by OHCHR for the period from February 22, 2014 to September 12, 2017, which was published on Monday.

It notes that out of the ten missing, six are Crimean Tatars, three ethnic Ukrainians and one Russian-Tatar, and all of them are men.

According to the UN, seven of them went missing in 2014, two in 2015 and one in 2016.

As of September 12, of the ten disappearances mentioned, criminal investigations were still ongoing in only one case. They were suspended in six cases due to the inability to identify suspects, and in three cases "no investigative actions have been taken as the disappearances were allegedly not reported."

The first recorded case of enforced disappearance in Crimea occurred on March 3, 2014. The highest number of enforced disappearances in a single month occurred in March 2014, when at least 21 persons were abducted in Crimea. While the majority of victims were released by perpetrators within hours or days, the whereabouts of others are still unknown.

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

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450745.html

As of Monday morning, a fire at the ammunition depot near the village of Novoyanysol, Nikolske district, Donetsk region, has been extinguished, the work on removal of explosives continues, the State Emergencies Service of Ukraine reported.

"As of 07:00, on September 9, 90 people and 33 units of equipment were involved in cleaning up the consequences of the emergency, of them 38 people and 15 units of equipment come from the State Emergency Situations Service," the ministry said on Monday.

As reported, at 15:40 on September 22, a fire broke out near Novoyanysol, Nikolsky district, Donetsk region, which triggered the explosion of ammunition on the territory of the arms depot of a military unit of the Defense Ministry. At 05:47 on September 23, the fire was put out. No casualties have been reported.

*************
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/450847.html

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has stated that ten people are missing in Crimea, but the disappearance of only one of them is being investigated.

"OHCHR documented 10 cases of persons who disappeared and are still missing," reads a report by OHCHR for the period from February 22, 2014 to September 12, 2017, which was published on Monday.

It notes that out of the ten missing, six are Crimean Tatars, three ethnic Ukrainians and one Russian-Tatar, and all of them are men.

According to the UN, seven of them went missing in 2014, two in 2015 and one in 2016.

As of September 12, of the ten disappearances mentioned, criminal investigations were still ongoing in only one case. They were suspended in six cases due to the inability to identify suspects, and in three cases "no investigative actions have been taken as the disappearances were allegedly not reported."

The first recorded case of enforced disappearance in Crimea occurred on March 3, 2014. The highest number of enforced disappearances in a single month occurred in March 2014, when at least 21 persons were abducted in Crimea. While the majority of victims were released by perpetrators within hours or days, the whereabouts of others are still unknown.

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

 

[Hindustani78]

Aftemath of blasts at munitions warehouse in Kalynivka

https://www.unian.info/war/2156824-...in-donbas-on-sept-26-one-soldier-wounded.html

Russia's hybrid military forces violated the ceasefire in Donbas on Tuesday, September 26, 15 times, as a result of which one Ukrainian soldier was wounded in action, according to the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters. War

10:32, 27 September 2017

"In particular, militants attacked the outskirts of the town of Avdiyivka in the Donetsk sector three times, using different types of grenade launchers, large-caliber machine guns and small arms. Ukrainian defenders fired back to firmly counter enemy attacks. At about 18:00 local time, one serviceman was wounded in this fighting. He is now in hospital, his condition is satisfactory," the ATO HQ said.


What is more, Ukrainian positions near the village of Kamianka and Butivka coal mine came under grenade fire late in the evening. The enemy also used grenade launchers to attack the town of Maryinka in the Mariupol sector. Large-caliber machine guns were used near the village of Shyrokyne, while an infantry fighting vehicle attacked the village of Hnutove.

There were two attacks in the Luhansk sector over the period under review. Russian-backed mercenaries opened fire from small arms near the village of Krymske.

*************
https://www.unian.info/war/2159354-...-home-confinement-for-fighting-in-donbas.html

Belarusian national Aleksey Yershov, 29, who fought against Ukraine in Donbas, has been sentenced to two-year home confinement under a law forbidding participation in a militant formation in a foreign state's territory, armed conflicts or hostilities without authorization from the government if there are no signs of mercenarism, according to the Belarusian newspaper Nasha Niva newspaper.

The hearing took place in the Belarusian city of Vitebsk behind closed doors, Nasha Niva said. His home confinement rules provide that he is not allowed to leave the town of his residence. Every day, he must return straight home from his place of work or study, follow the schedule set by the law enforcement agencies, and is forbidden to turn off phones.

Yershov, who is a resident of the Belarusian town of Pastavy, took part in hostilities in eastern Ukraine on the side of Russia-backed militants of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.

************
https://www.unian.info/war/2159109-...r-180-tanks-howitzers-in-occupied-donbas.html

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Donbas has reported about the presence of over 180 tanks and howitzers in occupied areas in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, the seat of two self-proclaimed republics – the "Donetsk People's Republic" ("DPR") and the "Luhansk People's Republic" ("LPR"), according to an OSCE SMM update.


Aerial imagery revealed the presence of over 180 tanks and howitzers in non-government-controlled areas, as well as new trenches near Vodiane and the road M03 between Svitlodarsk and Debaltseve," the OSCE SMM said in an update based on information received as of 19:30 September 26, 2017.


In non-government-controlled areas, aerial imagery revealed the presence on September 25 of 49 tanks (type unknown) about 4km south-east of Ternove (57km east of Donetsk), 42 tanks (type unknown) about 3km west of Manuilivka (65km east of Donetsk), 32 tanks (type unknown) about 2km north-east of Kruhlyk (65km south-west of Luhansk), and 34 howitzers (16 self-propelled and 18 towed) and 30 tanks (type unknown) and 73 military-type armoured vehicles near Myrne (28km south-west of Luhansk)," it said.


On September 22, an SMM mini UAV spotted nine mortars (three 120mm and six 82mm) near Myrne in positions that the Mission assessed as part of a live-fire exercise (outside the security zone).

****************
https://www.unian.info/war/2160721-ied-blast-kills-2-border-guards-in-luhansk-region.html

Two border guards were killed as a result of an explosion of an unidentified explosive device outside Stanytsia Luhanska in the war-torn Luhansk region, the press service of the State Border Guard Service reported.

"At around 17:00 today, two servicemen of the border guard detachment Stanychno-Luhanske blew up on an unidentified explosive device. Both troops were killed on the spot," the report said.


"The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine expresses condolences to the families of the killed border guards. In order to objectively study all the circumstances of the tragic event, the agency has informed the Military Prosecutor's Office, the National Police, as well as representatives of international missions working in the area of the Anti-Terrorist Operation," the statement reads.

As reported by the ATO Headquarters, Russian proxy forces in Donbas violated the truce 15 times over the past day.

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

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/451841.html

Two members of Ukraine's State Border Service were killed and one wounded near Stanytsia Luhanska by a booby trap bomb, the Luhansk regional administration has said.

"Yesterday, September 28, near Stanytsia Luhanska village two border troops died and one was wounded by a booby trap bomb set by a group of saboteurs," the Luhansk regional administration said on its Facebook page on Friday.

Later on September 28 region's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) said near the train station Iliyenko in Stanychno-Luhansky district 800 meters from the state border with Russia at around 17:00 on September 28 an inspector and a site inspector from the "Herasymivka" Luhansk border detachment died as a result of exploded ordinance.

Information about the incident was entered in the unified register of pretrial investigations pursuant to Part 3 of Article 258 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (terrorist act resulting in death). A pretrial investigation is being conducted by Luhansk region's SBU Security Service of Ukraine.

SBU agents, Luhansk region prosecutors, an investigation team from the Stanytsia Luhanska police department are on the scene, along with bomb experts.

Ukraine's State Border Service extended condolences to the families of the deceased.

Interior Ministry communications department director Artem Shevchenko said, "the total number of border troops who have died in Donbas has reached 69."

"We remember them and mourn their passing. We will release the names [of the two killed] tomorrow, after we have contacted their parents. Rest in peace," Shevchenko said on the Facebook page on Thursday evening.

************
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/451825.html

Two pilots of the L-39 military aircraft have died in a crash in Khmelnytsky region near the town of Starokostiantyniv, head of the press service of the Air Force command Roman Yurchylo told Interfax-Ukraine.

"Communication with the vessel during its training flight was lost at 12:20. The L-39 aircraft crashed in the vicinity of Starokostiantyniv. Two pilots were killed," he told the agency on Friday.

Rescue services and law-enforcement agencies are working at the site, the Air Force command wrote on its Facebook page.

The reasons for the accident are being established.

The L-39 is a two-seat trainer jet.

***********

http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2017/...onded-for-previous-explosions-at-ammo-depots/

During a meeting of the Military Committee, Minister of Defence of Ukraine General of the Army of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak informed, “This depot potentially can receive 140,000 tons. There were 83,000 tons (munitions)”. According to him, 68,000 tons were munitions ready for use, the rest were munitions components and metal.

“Currently, the fire has been localized, there is no fire propagation. There is smoke contamination and no open fire. There are no explosions”, the Minister said.

General Poltorak remarked that this situation was not the first one. He reminded names of those who were dismissed after previous emergencies.

The Minister of Defence also informed that in 2014 UAH 500,000 were allocated for depot in Kalynivka (Vinnytsia oblast, Central Ukraine) and this year the budget of this facility is UAH 25 million.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.unian.info/war/2163189-ukraine-reports-4-wias-amid-16-enemy-attacks-in-last-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 16 times in the past 24 hours, with four Ukrainian soldiers reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

10:40, 30 September 2017 117

In particular, the militants used 120mm and 82mm mortars six times, firing over 70 mortar rounds and 20 tank shells at Ukrainian strongholds. At the end of the day, the enemy's fire activity shifted from the Donetsk direction to the Mariupol sector.

After 18:00, the militants opened fire on Ukrainian troops near the village of Vodiane twice, using grenade launchers and a mortar. As a result of the shelling, one our soldier was wounded. Another our defender was injured amid fire confrontation on the outskirts of Berezove about 19:00 local time. At the end of the day, the invaders used large-caliber machine guns several times near the villages of Pavlopil and Talakivka," the ATO HQ said on Facebook on Saturday morning.


"In the Luhansk sector, the militants fired eight 82mm mortar rounds and an anti-tank grenade launcher at our strong points near the village of Novotoshkovske around 20:00. Ukrainian soldiers returned fire, forcing the enemy to observe the ceasefire. As a result of the confrontation, another Ukrainian soldier was wounded," the report said.

In the Donetsk sector, the Russia-backed militants observed the ceasefire in the evening hours and overnight, after the morning attacks.

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

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/451841.html

Two members of Ukraine's State Border Service were killed and one wounded near Stanytsia Luhanska by a booby trap bomb, the Luhansk regional administration has said.

"Yesterday, September 28, near Stanytsia Luhanska village two border troops died and one was wounded by a booby trap bomb set by a group of saboteurs," the Luhansk regional administration said on its Facebook page on Friday.

Later on September 28 region's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) said near the train station Iliyenko in Stanychno-Luhansky district 800 meters from the state border with Russia at around 17:00 on September 28 an inspector and a site inspector from the "Herasymivka" Luhansk border detachment died as a result of exploded ordinance.

Information about the incident was entered in the unified register of pretrial investigations pursuant to Part 3 of Article 258 of Ukraine's Criminal Code (terrorist act resulting in death). A pretrial investigation is being conducted by Luhansk region's SBU Security Service of Ukraine.

SBU agents, Luhansk region prosecutors, an investigation team from the Stanytsia Luhanska police department are on the scene, along with bomb experts.

Ukraine's State Border Service extended condolences to the families of the deceased.

Interior Ministry communications department director Artem Shevchenko said, "the total number of border troops who have died in Donbas has reached 69."

"We remember them and mourn their passing. We will release the names [of the two killed] tomorrow, after we have contacted their parents. Rest in peace," Shevchenko said on the Facebook page on Thursday evening.

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

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

http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/451974.html

Nine Ukrainian battalions are currently interoperable with forces of NATO countries, Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Viktor Muzhenko said.

"The battalions are continuing to undergo training with the help of foreign instructors, which started back in 2015. There are instructors and servicemen from the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland in Ukraine today… And we have currently achieved the necessary interoperability of at least those nine battalions that have already undergone training," Muzhenko said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

The joint training of troops concerns units of the mechanized, airmobile, and special forces, he said.

"In addition, NATO standards are used as a basis and get adapted to our conditions, considering our experience of combat actions. By the way, servicemen from NATO countries have been making amendments and adjustments to their standards proceeding from our experience. That is, we are not just blindly copying something but are creatively approaching the relevant standards, taking into account the combat experience we have gained," he said.

*******
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/451991.html

The coordinating group of the anti-terrorist center at the Ukrainian Security Service's (SBU) office in Ternopil region has conducted scheduled tactical exercises in the region, the SBU press center reported on Saturday.

Over 500 officers of law enforcement agencies, executive authorities and local government agencies improved the methods and skills of joint actions amid a sabotage and terrorist threat at critical infrastructure sites in the region.

The participants in the exercises conducted intensive search activities and fulfilled tasks to neutralize sabotage groups, hold negotiations with the criminals who took hostages, the press center said.

The Alfa and KORD rapid response forces conducted a training assault operation at a site of increased man-caused danger near Ternopil.

SBU said that these exercises had made it possible to check the readiness of all subjects of anti-terrorist activities in Ternopil region to prevent and stop sabotage and terrorist attacks, as well as to minimize their consequences.

*******
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/451991.html

The coordinating group of the anti-terrorist center at the Ukrainian Security Service's (SBU) office in Ternopil region has conducted scheduled tactical exercises in the region, the SBU press center reported on Saturday.

Over 500 officers of law enforcement agencies, executive authorities and local government agencies improved the methods and skills of joint actions amid a sabotage and terrorist threat at critical infrastructure sites in the region.

The participants in the exercises conducted intensive search activities and fulfilled tasks to neutralize sabotage groups, hold negotiations with the criminals who took hostages, the press center said.

The Alfa and KORD rapid response forces conducted a training assault operation at a site of increased man-caused danger near Ternopil.

SBU said that these exercises had made it possible to check the readiness of all subjects of anti-terrorist activities in Ternopil region to prevent and stop sabotage and terrorist attacks, as well as to minimize their consequences.

*******
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/451991.html

The coordinating group of the anti-terrorist center at the Ukrainian Security Service's (SBU) office in Ternopil region has conducted scheduled tactical exercises in the region, the SBU press center reported on Saturday.

Over 500 officers of law enforcement agencies, executive authorities and local government agencies improved the methods and skills of joint actions amid a sabotage and terrorist threat at critical infrastructure sites in the region.

The participants in the exercises conducted intensive search activities and fulfilled tasks to neutralize sabotage groups, hold negotiations with the criminals who took hostages, the press center said.

The Alfa and KORD rapid response forces conducted a training assault operation at a site of increased man-caused danger near Ternopil.

SBU said that these exercises had made it possible to check the readiness of all subjects of anti-terrorist activities in Ternopil region to prevent and stop sabotage and terrorist attacks, as well as to minimize their consequences.

*******
http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/451991.html

The coordinating group of the anti-terrorist center at the Ukrainian Security Service's (SBU) office in Ternopil region has conducted scheduled tactical exercises in the region, the SBU press center reported on Saturday.

Over 500 officers of law enforcement agencies, executive authorities and local government agencies improved the methods and skills of joint actions amid a sabotage and terrorist threat at critical infrastructure sites in the region.

The participants in the exercises conducted intensive search activities and fulfilled tasks to neutralize sabotage groups, hold negotiations with the criminals who took hostages, the press center said.

The Alfa and KORD rapid response forces conducted a training assault operation at a site of increased man-caused danger near Ternopil.

SBU said that these exercises had made it possible to check the readiness of all subjects of anti-terrorist activities in Ternopil region to prevent and stop sabotage and terrorist attacks, as well as to minimize their consequences.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.unian.info/war/2164696-...y-attacks-one-soldier-killed-in-last-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 14 times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in a mine blast, according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.


"The illegal armed groups were active in all sectors across the ATO zone in the past day," the report says. The militants adhered to the ceasefire in the Luhansk and Donetsk sectors during day time. But after 18:00 Kyiv time, they started firing grenade launchers of various types and small arms on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Zaitseve.

At about 23:00 Kyiv time, cynically endangering civilians, the enemy opened fire on civilian areas of the northern outskirts of the village. In addition, the enemy used grenade launchers and small arms twice near the town of Avdiyivka in the evening hours and overnight.

*************
https://www.unian.info/war/2166716-...cenary-in-new-ukrainian-military-uniform.html

During a reconnaissance operation, a Ukrainian serviceman has seen a Russian mercenary in Donbas wearing Ukrainian military uniform of new design, according to Ukrainian TSN journalist Andriy Tsaplienko.


"A Russian mercenary dressed in Ukrainian pixellated camouflage is building a dug-out shelter, not even being aware that he is in a Ukrainian reconnaissanceman's crosshairs. And it's good that the Ukrainian pushed the record button instead of pulling the trigger," Tsaplienko wrote on Facebook on Monday, October 2.

The journalist said that the new pixelated camouflage design in Ukraine was introduced in 2014 and this uniform could only have been smuggled onto the other side.


The Ukrainian serviceman who made the picture has two theories: ether the Russian proxies might be preparing an act of provocation against OSCE monitors or they might plan to terrorize the local population and then put the blame for this on the Ukrainian army.

"As a rule, dress changing games at war do not suggest a happy ending. Everything is possible. Take into account the fact that this has been happening where a car with OSCE monitors was blown up [in April 2017] and where Russian soldier Viktor Ageyev 'got lost' [in June 2017]," he added.

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

According to the Ukrainian party of the JCCC, despite the school ceasefire the illegal armed formations keep on shelling the villages and towns along the demarcation line using the weapons forbidden by the Minsk agreements.

On October 2, about 10:30 a.m. militants shelled residential houses in Marinka (Donetsk oblast) with grenade launchers and small arms. An observation group of the JCCC is on the scene.

Information about damages and destructions is being investigated.

**********

The ATO HQ press centre reports that on Sunday, October 1, about 10:30 p.m. militants shelled residential houses in Zaitseve using small arms and heavy machineguns.

Fortunately, there are no casualties among citizens.

These actions of the illegal armed formations demonstrate their unwilling to observe the ceasefire and fulfill the Minsk agreements.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.unian.info/war/2166951-swedish-military-chief-visits-ao-zone-in-donbas.html

Commander-in-Chief of the Swedish Armed Forces Gen. Micael Byden on Monday paid a visit to the zone of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in eastern Ukraine, accompanied by his Ukrainian counterpart Gen. Viktor Muzhenko, according to the ATO HQ press center.

War 09:20, 03 October 2017 427

"During the official visit to Ukraine of the military delegation of the Kingdom of Sweden and its trip to the ATO zone, the parties discussed the issues of the intensification of the military-political dialogue and clarified prospective directions and effective forms of military cooperation between the armed forces of Ukraine and Sweden," the press center wrote on Facebook.


While familiarizing the Swedish delegation with the security situation in the war zone, Muzhenko drew the attention of his Swedish counterpart to the critical state of civilian infrastructure affected by the attacks of Russian-terrorist forces.


The Chief of Ukraine’s General Staff informed Gen. Byden that the hikes in ceasefire violations by Russian proxies traditionally coincide with the rounds of peace talks in Minsk, which indicates Russia’s continued pressure on the negotiation process.


"The sides also exchanged experience on the issues of reforming and developing the armed forces of both states and strengthening friendly partner relations between Ukraine and Sweden," the press center wrote.

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https://www.unian.info/war/2167059-...vdiyivkas-outskirts-for-over-three-hours.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 17 times in the past 24 hours, according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

War 10:20, 03 October 2017 336

"At the end of the past day, militants increased the number of shellings of the Ukrainian positions in the Donetsk sector. In the evening hours, the Russian-backed mercenaries were firing various types of grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms along the southeastern outskirts of the town of Avdiyivka for more than three hours," reads the report.

In addition, the occupiers opened fire from infantry fighting vehicles twice on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Zaitseve. Moreover, the defenders of the villages of Maiorsk and Nevelske came under fire at night.

In the Luhansk sector, at about 18:00 Kyiv time, the Russian occupation forces used grenade launchers and small arms on the outskirts of the village of Donets. Furthermore, the shelling from an 82mm mortar was recorded near the village of Krymske.

It was relatively calm in the Mariupol sector during the night hours.

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https://www.unian.info/war/2167289-...d-that-russian-mercenaries-leave-village.html

The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine reported that the residents of the village of Pikuzy, controlled by "DPR" militants, demanded the immediate withdrawal of armed men and their weapons from residential areas.

"Residents in Pikuzy gave the SMM a letter – also addressed to the Novoazovsk district administration, the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross – that outlined the difficulties faced by the residents (such as the lack of gas supply) and included a request for the immediate withdrawal of armed men and of weapons from residential areas of the village. The SMM observed two armed men in the village," the OSCE SMM said in an update based on information as of 19:30 local time as of October 1, 2017.

Until the end of 2015, the village was in the gray zone, as stipulated by the Minsk agreements, but the militants occupied it on December 22, 2015.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/452470.html

Illegal armed groups have fired twice at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbas since the beginning of the day on October 3, injuring two Ukrainian servicemen, spokesman for the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters Anatoliy Stelmakh has said.

"Our positions have come under fire twice since the beginning of the day. This is the Avdiyivka industrial zone where the enemy used large-caliber machine guns and small arms. At about 01.00, the enemy opened fire from grenade launchers near Hnutove. Our military returned fire from grenade launchers. Two of our servicemen were injured as a result of this confrontation today," he told the 112 Ukraine television channel on Tuesday.

According to him, reports on civilian casualties during yesterday's shelling of residential areas are being specified.

Earlier on Tuesday, a report by the press center of the ATO headquarters said that illegal armed groups had violated the ceasefire 17 times since the beginning of the day, on October 3, and that there were no losses among Ukrainian troops.

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Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General of the Army of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko and Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces General Micael Bydén traveled to east of Ukraine.

The parties focused their discussion on enhancement of military political dialogue and prospects of cooperation, as well as effective forms of military cooperation between the armies of the two countries.

General Muzhenko briefed on situation in east of Ukraine, especially informed about civil infrastructure damaged after attacks and shells launched by militants. He also mentioned the militants intensified shelling on the eve of the Minsk meetings. This fact proves that RF influences the negotiation process.

The parties shared experience on reforms and development of the armies of the two countries and strengthening the partner relations.

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http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2017/...e-with-weapons-forbidden-by-minsk-agreements/

The Ukrainian party of the JCCC reports that the illegal armed formations keep on shelling the ATO positions using weapons forbidden by the Minsk agreements. On October 2, in the evening, and this morning, October 3, militants attacked the Ukrainian positions near Avdiivka using grenade launchers, as well as heavy machineguns and small arms.

The illegal armed formations also shelled the ATO positions in Luhansk direction with 82 mm mortars which are forbidden by the Minsk agreements.

There are no casualties among the Ukrainian soldiers. All these actions demonstrate the unwilling of the illegal armed formations to observe the ceasefire and fulfill the Minsk agreements.

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http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2017/...ring-current-threats-from-russian-federation/

“The Ukrainian army undergoes training considering current challenges, including from the RF Zapad-2017 exercise held in Belorussia.”

Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine General of the Army of Ukraine Viktor Muzhenko stressed it giving lecture at the National Ivan Chernyakhivskyi Defence University.

“On September 12-15, we conducted strategic command and staff exercise, as well as a range of other activities related to threats from the RF Zapad-2017 exercise. We have completed a full cycle of operations planning of forces (troops) deployment,” General Muzhenko informed.

According to the Chief of General Staff, the about 7,000 reservists underwent training, and battalions of territorial defence had 10 day drills in September.

“All these activities ensured the appropriate level of training of the Ukrainian army to respond to evolving military strategic situation around Ukraine,” General Muzhenko underscored.

PA Office of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.unian.info/war/2168899-...d-school-ceasefire-in-donbas-photo-video.html

"According to an updated report, militants launched nearly 20 rockets at about 16:00 local time [on Tuesday, October 3], aiming at our defenders," the ATO HQ said on Facebook on Tuesday. The attack was recorded near the village of Hnutove in the Mariupol sector in Donetsk region. Local farmers' fields caught fire after the shelling. "The fire approaching the houses has been extinguished," it said.


An hour later, the enemy lobbed five more Grad rockets into areas where ATO forces were stationed outside the village of Shyrokyne in the same sector.

"And about 18:00 local time, illegal armed forces attacked positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the village of Talakivka (38 rounds)," it said. No casualties have been reported, according to preliminary information.

Ukrainian members of the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) on the settlement of the Donbas crisis have earlier reported that the Russian hybrid military forces continue shelling Ukrainian positions in Donbas, using weapons banned by the Minsk peace agreements.

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https://www.unian.info/society/2170694-russia-confirms-detention-of-two-ukrainian-border-guards.html

First Deputy Chairman of the State Border Service of Ukraine Vasyl Servatiuk has said that the Russian side has confirmed the detention of two Ukrainian border guards, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

It was found out on Wednesday, October 4, that two border guards were missing at their workplace, and an investigation established that their car was at the state border line with Russia, he said.


Servatiuk said the Ukrainian side had made a request to the Russian border guards, and "the Russian side informed that they had detained two Ukrainian citizens who claimed they were servicemen of the State Border Service of Ukraine."


In addition, he said that the Russian side asked to provide documents confirming this information, and "a meeting of border services' representatives is scheduled to be held tomorrow [October 5], as a result of which we expect that the Ukrainian border guards will be returned home, and the investigation should establish the reason how they had been detained in Russian territory."

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https://www.unian.info/war/2169149-donbas-militants-again-use-grads-1-wia-in-last-day.html

Russia's hybrid military forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas 22 times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as wounded in action (WIA), according to the press service of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) Headquarters.

In the Mariupol sector, the enemy was firing a 122mm Grad-P portable rocket launcher, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and a heavy machine gun on the Ukrainian positions near the village of Shyrokyne for one hour in the afternoon.

Later, the militants used an 82mm mortar there. Furthermore, starting from 18:00 Kyiv time, the enemy was firing a Grad MLR system on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Talakivka, having launched 38 rockets. Militants also used 120mm mortars twice firing on the residential sector of the village of Vodiane.


Furthermore, starting from 18:00 Kyiv time, the enemy was firing a Grad MLR system on the Ukrainian fortified positions near the village of Talakivka, having launched 38 rockets. Militants also used 120mm mortars twice firing on the residential sector of the village of Vodiane.


In the Donetsk sector, the Ukrainian fortified positions near the town of Avdiyivka and the village of Nevelske came under fire from grenade launchers and heavy machine guns twice. The invaders shelled the Ukrainian positions near Butivka coal mine, and the villages of Zaitseve and Maiorsk.

In the Luhansk sector, the Ukrainian positions near the village of Triokhizbenka were attacked four times with the use of a grenade launcher and small arms. The Ukrainian military had to fire back, but one Ukrainian soldier was wounded.

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https://www.unian.info/world/2169869-russia-targets-nato-soldiers-smartphones-wsj.html

Troops, officers and government officials of North Atlantic Treaty Organization member countries said Russia has carried out a campaign to compromise soldiers' smartphones. The aim, they say, is to gain operational information, gauge troop strength and intimidate soldiers, according to WSJ.

U.S. and other Western officials said they have no doubt Russia is behind the campaign. They said its nature suggests state-level coordination, and added that the equipment used, such as sophisticated drones equipped with surveillance electronics, is beyond the reach of most civilians.

The campaign has targeted the contingent of 4,000 NATO troops deployed this year to Poland and the Baltic states to protect the alliance's European border with Russia, as tensions with Moscow are on the rise, Western military officials said.

Targets are soldiers like U.S. Army Lt. Col. Christopher L'Heureux, who took over as commander of a NATO base in Poland in July. Soon after, he said he returned to his truck from shooting drills to find his personal iPhone had been hacked and reported lost. The hacker was attempting to breach a second layer of password protection through a Russian IP address, he said.

"It had a little Apple map, and in the center of the map was Moscow," said Col. L'Heureux, stationed not far from a major Russian military base. "It said, 'Somebody is trying to access your iPhone'."

Col. L'Heureux said at least six soldiers he commands have had phones or Facebook accounts hacked. He said he suspects the incidents were meant as a message that Russian intelligence forces were tracking him, could crack his passwords and wanted to intimidate his soldiers.

Some Western officials said that in a crisis, compromised cellphones could be used to slow NATO's response to Russian military action if, for example, the personal cellphone of a commander was used to send out fake instructions. While such communications via private device ought to be disregarded, it could sow confusion, they said.

And if a compromised phone were brought into a secure area such as a military command post, it could be used to collect sensitive information.

A probe indicated Russia had used a portable telephone antenna to gain access to phones in the area of an Estonian base. The device apparently grabbed data sent from mobile phones and erased information on them.

Information gleaned from personal communication, contact lists and social-networking sites has been used in encounters that indicate a goal of harassment or intimidation, according to Western officials.

In Latvia, a U.S. soldier standing in line for a sports event was approached by a person who casually dropped details of the soldier’s life, including information about family members, said a person close to NATO. A similar incident happened to a U.S. soldier on a train in Poland, that person said. Both encounters were believed to have been with Russian agents.

"Russia has always sought to target NATO servicemen for intelligence exploitation," said Keir Giles, an associate fellow at Chatham House's Russia and Eurasia Program. "But such a campaign of harassment and intimidation is unprecedented in recent times."

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/452856.html

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has proposed that Verkhovna Rada should allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces and military hardware to be used in peacetime in order to protect the country's sovereignty, under a bill registered at the Verkhovna Rada on October 4.

"Military commands, formations, and units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces may be called up in peacetime in accordance with the law to implement measures as envisaged by the Ukrainian law on the state policy to ensure Ukraine's national sovereignty over the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the bill says.

The armed forces involved in the implementation of such measures should be allowed to use weapons and military hardware, according to the bill.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/452793.html


The management of forces and assets of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and all other agencies that ensure national security and defense, as well as deterrence and rebuffing of the Russian armed aggression, will be entrusted to the Joint Operational Headquarters.

"The Joint Operational Headquarters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be in charge of the forces and assets of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, other military formations, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the National Police of Ukraine, the central executive agency which implements the state policy in the field of civil protection, government agencies which are involved in the implementation of measures to ensure national security and defense, deterrence and rebuffing of the Russian armed aggression in Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the text of the presidential bill on the specifics of the state policy on insuring the state sovereignty of Ukraine over the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions published on the parliament's website on Wednesday.

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http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/452661.html


Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko signed decree No. 304/2017 on the implementation of the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) on Tuesday, September 3, approved on September 13, 2017 on military-technical cooperation of Ukraine with individual states, the presidential website has reported.

"To bring into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated September 13, 2017 "On Amendments to the Decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine dated August 28, 2015 "On Military-Technical Cooperation of Ukraine with Individual States" (attached, secretly), the first paragraph of the document reads.

The decree came into force on the day of its publication. Control over its implementation is entrusted to acting Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov.

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http://www.mil.gov.ua/en/news/2017/10/04/ukrainian-party-of-jccc-militants-use-uavs/

The illegal armed formations use UAVs in violation of the Minsk agreements.

On October 03, there were recorded 5 flights of the enemy’s UAVs.

Militants use these UAVs for reconnaissance of Ukrainian positions in east of Ukraine and military facilities in other regions of Ukraine.

These facts demonstrate the provocative actions of the illegal armed formations to escalate the conflict in east of Ukraine.