Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
12.23.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

(See end of post for acronym glossary)

Operational data from Information Resistance:

During the shelling of ATO forces’  positions and civilian targets in Donbas, Russian-terrorist forces are increasingly using heavy weapons (122 mm artillery and tanks). Militants and Russian servicemen returned these weapons to positions in many areas along the demarcation line. In addition, Russian-terrorist forces have significantly increased the number of tactical offensive attacks.

Taking advantage of the fact that Ukrainian troops overall comply with the conditions of the Minsk agreements (with the exception of return fire), the militants are expanding the territory of areas under their control by moving their units into the gray area (the IR group warned about a possibility of such actions three months ago). Under these circumstances, the ability of such ineffective instruments, like the OSCE and the Joint Center for Control and Coordination of the Ceasefire, to solve the problem raises serious doubts. No adequate retaliatory actions by Ukrainian military leadership are currently observed.

In particular, in the area of Kominternove, a company from a battalion of militants stationed near the Novoazovsk – Telmanove highway moved into the neutral zone under the covering fire of reactive batteries (3 MLRS BM-21 “Grad” in positions eastward of Dzerzhynsk). At the same time, the reinforcement of militant units was detected along the Zaichenko–Sakhanka ridge – eight APCs (four BMP-1 and BMP-2 and four MT-LBs) were transferred to the right flank from the direction of Vesele and Krasnoarmiisk during the past 24 hours. North of Sakhanka, two tanks and a MT-LB were detected in camouflaged positions.

The militants carry on constant shelling in the entire area from Mari’nka to the northern outskirts of  Horlivka (including Mari’nka, Krasnohorivka, Pisky, Opytne, Avdiivka, Novhorodske, Shumy, Mayorsk, Zaitseve).

The militants are widely using mortars and grenade launchers in the region of Mari’nka and Krasnohorivka. In the area of the Donetsk airport and the settlement of Opytne, several militant firing groups were observed, including [militants] in armored vehicles. They carried out attacks with small arms, mortars, grenade launchers, and the on-board weapons of their APCs.

Between Kirove and Novoselivka (west of Horlivka), the enemy used 122 mm artillery twice, in addition to mortars and rocket-propelled grenades.

South of Donetsk, in the area of Starokhnativka and Hranitne, an increase in terrorist activity was observed; terrorist forces in the coastal areas regrouped and carried out attacks (including with 82 mm mortars); militants in the area of the Svitlodarsk bridgehead used mortars and, occasionally, ZU-23-2. In the area of Zhovanka–Zaitseve, terrorist tanks fired at two of the ATO forces’ advanced strongholds (eight shots with HEF projectiles) under cover of a ZU-23-2.

In addition, regular shelling resumed in the area of Shchastya and Stanytsia Luhanska (with small arms, and occasionally 120 mm mortars). In the area of Shchastya, an armed confrontation was observed between Ukrainian troops’ battlefield security and a DRG unit of Russian special forces that attempted to infiltrate the rear of the ATO forces. As a result of massive small arms fire by Ukrainian troops, the enemy retreated behind its lines.

The regrouping of militants continues in the area south of Donetsk, as far as the Dokuchajevsk quarries. In the area south of Olenivka (from Yasne) to Oleksandrivka, militants deployed at least 15 additional ACVs (mainly BMPs and MT-LBs).

Photograph by Kiborgy_DAP

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

Glossary:
ACV – armored combat vehicle
ATO – Anti-Terrorist Operation
BMP – infantry fighting vehicle
BTR, APC – armored personnel carrier
DNR – “Donetsk People’s Republic”
DRG – sabotage and reconnaissance group
LNR – “Luhansk People’s Republic”
MT-LB – light multipurpose tracked vehicle
MLRS – multiple-launch rocket systems

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