Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
10.22.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance:

During the last two days, Russian-terrorist troops in Donbas have been actively demonstrating a “withdrawal of combat equipment” in an area across from the “C” sector. A portion of the equipment is being removed from the 15 km [adjacent to the front line], while the rest of the combat equipment and armaments remain at the front line, simply changing their positions. At the new positions, the armaments are being thoroughly camouflaged. The partial withdrawal, by the militants, of heavy armor and mortars was also observed in other sections.

Withdrawal of the equipment of two Russian-terrorist “motorized infantry companies” (including a total of 12 tanks) was observed. It is worthy of note that as the equipment is being withdrawn, the personnel of those units remains at their front line positions.

In the coastal regions, militants have concentrated 24-25 units of armored vehicles (mostly tanks) north of Bezymenna and northeast of Kominternove, allegedly in preparation for withdrawal. At the same time, a portion of militant combat equipment and vehicles have been moved north, beyond Telmanove, and camouflaged [on positions] in the stretch between Bohdanivka and Hrekovo-Oleksandrivka (a minimum of 7 tanks recorded).

Terrorists are gradually collecting armored vehicles from southern districts of Horlivka, and from the area of Panteleimonivka and Yasynuvata, moving them towards Yenakijeve and Vuhlehirsk. On average, 2-3 tanks and 3-4 ACVs per day were being transported during the past few days. Platform cars have been prepared in Debaltseve [rail junction] as a demonstration (“for the OSCE”), however, no actual loading or transportation of armaments is recorded; instead, the equipment is being concentrated in and around Debaltseve and Vuhlehirsk. According to preliminary data, militant command is forming a powerful second-tier tactical group in the Artemivsk direction, as a reinforcement to be used in case of a converging attack in the Svitlodarsk bridgehead area. This situation requires further monitoring.

Militants are performing active reconnaissance (including with the use of sabotage and surveillance groups), laying minefields, actively regrouping Russian-terrorist forces and equipment, equipping combat positions, and accumulating materials and supplies.

At the same time, militants continue armed provocations, attempting to provoke return fire from Ukrainian troops. In many cases, representatives of Russian and local (terrorist-controlled) media are present at the terrorist positions during such provocations, instructed to record the retaliatory fire by the ATO forces, should it be opened. Their presence is a testimony to the fact that these provocations are planned and authorized by Russian-terrorist command (i.e., they are not “accidental” firings or attacks on the part of “gangs not controlled by the LNR [Luhansk People’s Republic] command”).

Thus, over the past day, in the vicinity of Holmivskyi settlement, two militant infantry groups, acting in coordination, attempted to provoke Ukrainian troops into opening fire. One of the groups took positions in the neutral zone; the second, armed with 82 mm mortars (at least 2) shelled an area close to an ATO forces’ stronghold, in an attempt to provoke return fire. After that, the groups retreated behind the armed gangs’ lines, providing cover for each other. During the same day, a new militant unit arrived in this area, some 80-90 personnel strong.

Isolated bursts of small arms fire in the direction of Ukrainian positions were recorded near Mar’inka, south of Avdiivka, and in the vicinity of Hranitne. Advanced positions of the ATO forces near Opytne and DAP [Donetsk Airport] came under fire (in the latter case, by a sniper).

The enemy is employing advanced surveillance groups to scout out the frontline positions of Ukrainian troops in the areas of Krymske, Shchastya, Popasna, and Zaitseve. Terrorist reconnaissance groups are also attempting to conduct surveillance of the front line and the tactical rear of the ATO forces in the coastal regions (in several areas at once – Sakhanka, Hnutove, Naberezhne, Shyrokyne), as well as south of Volnovakha. On occasion, these reconnaissance groups are opening fire in the direction of Ukrainian positions.

Regrouping of the terrorist “motorized rifle infantry battalion” located in the western part of Petrovskyi district, Donetsk continues. The “reinforcements” that had arrived earlier (as reported by the IR Group) were distributed: partly to the unit deployed beyond Ratsionalizatoriv Street (110-120 personnel, armed with handheld grenade launchers, several 82 mm mortars, and heavy machine guns), and partly to the unit deployed near Oleksandrivka.

Several “reconnaissance” groups of Russian military servicemen disguised as local militants were recorded near Sverdlovsk, Krasnodon, Amvrosiivka, and Antratsyt. The mission of these groups is to find places for “layover” of armaments and military equipment. We forecast that some of these armaments and military equipment, originally supplied to militants from Russia, might be withdrawn towards the state border, for subsequent return to Russia; alternatively, they will be concentrated for rotation, repairs, and maintenance.

Regulation works for seasonal maintenance of equipment and armaments started in militant units and divisions, according to the order of the Russian-terrorist command. However, these works are erratic and slow, due to disruptions in supply of spares and consumables.

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

This translation work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The rights pertaining to the original work remain unaffected.