Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
11.24.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance:

With ongoing active firing on the ATO [anti-terrorist operation] positions and civilian objects [targets], Russian-terrorist troops continue conducting reconnaissance of Ukrainian troop combat formations, and mining local areas. Militants in the first echelon of the front line are actively regrouping and resupplying their forces and assets. At a number of sites, terrorists are equipping positions and areas of the deployment of units, and are creating cover fire lines for these areas.

Thus, during the day, militants have repeatedly opened fire from 82-mm mortars and AGS-17 type automatic heavy grenade launchers in the area west and northwest of Donetsk. In addition, terrorists were actively firing on Ukrainian positions west and north of Horlivka. On the stretch between the southern outskirts of Pisky to the northern outskirts of Avdiivka, attacks on Ukrainian positions were almost uninterrupted, using a variety of weapons, including 82 mm mortars, the on-board weapons of armored combat vehicles (BMP-1 and BMP-2), and grenade launchers – both handheld and mounted (AGS-17, AGS-21 and SPG-9 “Kopye” [“Spear”]).

The use, by militants, of ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns and 120 mm mortars was observed. During the shelling of Ukrainian troop positions, in the direction of Opytne (south of Avdiivka), militants used two BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles and ZU-23-2 transported aboard a vehicle (army truck).

Militants in the vicinity of Novhorodske used 120 mm mortars in two instances – near Mayorsk and Zaitseve, as before.

During the past 24 hours, in addition to the use of automatic small arms, terrorists also shelled the ATO forces’ positions from 82 mm mortars in the vicinity of Shchastya, and from heavy machine guns, the positions near Krymske, Stanytsia Luhanska, and Syze. Southwest of Luhanske and south of Popasna, militants used automatic grenade launchers. In the coastal regions, fire attacks were recorded near Shyrokyne.

The appearance of several well-trained enemy sniper groups was noted south of Mar’inka, near Pisky and north of Krasnohorivka (militant 82 mm and 120 mm mortar units are providing cover).

In Donetsk, near Shvedova Avenue, a militant armored group (11 armored combat vehicles) was observed transferring in the direction of the “front line.” Militants are concentrating supplies and ammunition in the Kyivskyi, Kirovskyi, and Petrovskyi districts of Donetsk – up to 30 trucks, on average, are arriving every 24 hours.

Militants are actively reinforcing their positions on the stretch between Dokuchajevsk and Olenivka, and further, up to Oleksandrivka (even though a number of terrorist units from these reinforcements are somewhat withdrawn from the front edge, towards Marianivka and Obilne. Light armored vehicles were spotted in the first echelon, at camouflaged positions (at least 3 strongholds in the vicinity of Obilne and Marianivka, with up to 20 armored combat vehicles, mainly MT-LB multi-purpose vehicles and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles). Mortar positions (120 mm mortars) and two camouflaged tanks were also recorded in this area.

A terrorist tank company (8 tanks) was transferred from Ilovaisk towards Starobesheve. North of Metalist (area of Kuteinykove), six 122 mm “Gvozdika” 2S1 self-propelled guns, two MT-LB vehicles and 2 Kamaz trucks were observed on the march to the southern sector of operation. According to the preliminary data of the IR group, this armor and vehicles are intended for inclusion in the composite tactical group of Russian-terrorist troops currently being formed in the vicinity of Telmanove.

Due to the widespread delays in the payment of “wages” to militants, Russian regular army servicemen, who are commanding a number of “DNR” [Donetsk People’s Republic] units staffed by local militants, organized the issue of “food rations:” one can of tinned meat per person per 3 days.

As part of the measures to uncover and neutralize persons with pro-Ukrainian affiliations, the separate battalion group “Somali” (led by [the terrorist] “Givi”) is operating in Horlivka. Its members were granted unlimited authority by [Oleksander] Zakharchenko. The “Somali” group is based at the facilities of “Vuzlivska” central ore processing plant (Horlivka). Cooperation has been set up with the “Corsa” platoon commander and the chieftain of the “DNR unit N08803” (separate motorized infantry brigade N3, based on Horlivka, staffed by 2,400 personnel), general-major of the Russian Armed Forces Ihor Sokolov (callsign “Brest”). In the scope of these measures, the “Somali” group took part in the search of the “Bermudas” entertainment club owned by Yuriy Krykulenko (callsign “Benia,” affiliate of Oleksander Khodakovskiy), in order to force the latter to stop cannibalizing the equipment of the city’s facilities for scrap metal. After the search, “Benia” left the city to avoid arrest. After “Benia’s” departure, “Givi,” together with “Corsa” and “Brest,” started cannibalizing for scrap metal the equipment of “Vuzlivska” and “Kalyninska” ore-processing factories. Such cannibalization and removal of scrap metal take place during night-time (when the curfew is in effect) to avoid attracting the attention of local residents.

Pisky. Photograph by Maia Mikhaluk

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

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