Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
03.02.2016
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

(See end of post for acronym glossary)

Operational data from Information Resistance:

Increased activity by Russian-terrorist troops is noted across the broad strip from Mar’inka to the Svitlodarsk bridgehead (Luhanske–Skeleve–Rozsadky). Militants’ shelling is also observed in the coastal regions: Hnutove–Talakivka–Vodyane–Lebedynske.

Militants continue accumulating armored vehicles and artillery in the Petrovskiy district of Donetsk. Six 122 mm “Gvozdika” 2S1 self-propelled guns, two BTR-80’s, and three MT-LB’s were spotted north of Petrovskoho Street. Terrorist tanks (up to one company in strength) were seen west of Kobzarya Avenue. Four Ural trucks with personnel (two towing ZU-23-2’s on trailers), two BTR-80’s, and one BMP-2 arrived by the Yasynuvatske Shosse [Motorway] bound for Spartak to provide reinforcements (or for troop rotation).

Militant armored vehicles (several MT-LB’s and three BMP-2’s) from their tactical group deployed near Kruta Balka were transferred to reinforce militant forces in the vicinity of Yasynuvata junction and the 251.2 m high ground.

In the coastal regions, militants are strengthening two of their tactical groups. One is deployed along the Olenivka–Dokuchajevsk–Styla line; the other, in the vicinity of Telmanove. Over the past 24 hours, these groups received a total of five BMP-2’s, six BTR-70’s or BTR-80’s, two MT-LB’s, and 10-11 trucks. Most of the resources are being transferred from the direction of Starobesheve. In view of this, the recent demonstrative increase in terrorist activity in the Sakhanka–Kominternove–Zaichenko area could be an attempt to divert attention from the reinforcement of these groups.

Photo by Dmitry Kapustin

Ten tanker trucks arrived in Luhansk from the direction of Krasnodon. The same convoy included two “Akatsiya” SAU 2S3 self-propelled artillery guns, tarpaulined and carried on board of tank transporters.

At the end of February, the 9th regiment of the “1st DNR Army Corps” (temporarily deployed in the Novoazovskyi district) was inspected by “ministerial commissions.” These were headed by the commander of the “1st DNR AC,” Major-General of the Russian Armed Forces Valeriy Asapov, and a representative of the “DNR central military prosecutor’s office,” Magir Akhmetov. The commissions conducted inspections of advanced militant positions in the Shyrokyne–Kominternove area. During the inspection, the commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 9th regiment (call sign “Shaman”) was recalled from “leave” to give explanations about the cases of “looting and moral depravity among the personnel” in said battalion.

After the commissions’ visit, militants stepped up their activity in equipping their advanced combat positions. In Sakhanka and Kominternove, militants set up reinforced command and observation posts. To this end, engineering works went on for two days straight, even during night-time, making use of building materials obtained by dismantling private homes in the area. Presently, supplies and materials for all construction, repair, and engineering work on militant positions in the Novoazovskyi district come from the looting and dismantling of agricultural facilities and various other buildings. The school in Kominternove has been completely ransacked.

Russia is taking steps to draw the “L/DNR” into “political confrontation” with Turkey. By orders of the Russian “supervisors,” the “DNR People’s Council” has drawn up a draft law: “On parliamentary hearings for the “DNR” to recognize the genocide of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.” The consideration on the draft law is scheduled for March 4 [2016].

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

Glossary:
ACV – armored combat vehicle
AGS-17 – automatic grenade launcher
ATO – Anti-Terrorist Operation
BMP – infantry fighting vehicle
BTG – battalion tactical group
BTR, APC – armored personnel carrier
BRDM – armored reconnaissance and surveillance vehicle
BRM – armored reconnaissance vehicle
DAP – Donetsk International Airport
DNR – “Donetsk People’s Republic”
DRG – sabotage and reconnaissance group
KSM – command and staff vehicle
LNR – “Luhansk People’s Republic”
MT-LB – light multipurpose tracked vehicle
MLRS – multiple-launch rocket systems
TZM, TLV – transporter-loading vehicle
SPG-9 – stand-mounted grenade launcher
ZU-23-2 – anti-aircraft artillery system

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