Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
02.25.2016
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

(See end of post for acronym glossary)

Operational data from Information Resistance:

During the past 24 hours, Russian-terrorist forces in Donbas, in addition to actively firing at the ATO forces’ positions and civilian targets, also attempted tactical-level offensive actions. Namely, two terrorist groups (combined strength of up to one company) , supported by four BMP-2’s and a tank platoon, attempted an attack from the direction of Dokuchajevsk along the Novotroitske – Mykolaivka – Novohnativka stretch. The enemy was stopped by fire from units of the Ukrainian armed forces and driven back to their starting point.

Terrorist fire strikes occurred across almost the entire northwestern part of the ATO zone, in the areas of Mar’inka, Krasnohorivka, Pisky, Opytne, Novhorodske, Mayorsk, Zaitseve and Butovka [Mine], as well as in the coastal regions. Near Staromykhailivka, an enemy armored group (three BMP-2’s, one MT-LB, and one BTR-80) advanced to the southwestern outskirts of the Abakumova estate and opened fire on the ATO forces’ stronghold and observation post from the private residences sector.

Near Zaitseve, a terrorist tank shelled forward Ukrainian troop positions from a camouflaged emplacement in the vegetation north of the Terykonna station [Horlivka]. Six high-explosive rounds were fired. Civilian targets came under fire.

Militants fired 120 mm mortars from positions near the Yasynuvata junction and the 272.2 m high ground.

Two militant mortar positions have been set up near Sakhanka and Kominternove. The enemy uses them to shell the ATO forces’ strongholds close to Vodyane and north of the road leading to Mariupol. At the same time, militants are moving reinforcements into the area of Kominternove. A further two tanks have been brought in to an area south of the settlement, where a tank platoon had been previously spotted in the ravines. North of the settlement, three 120 mm mortars have been identified in positions. Up to 50 militant infantry personnel and four BBM armored combat vehicles have arrived near Sakhanka from the direction of Novoazovsk.

Shots of UAV footage of Shyrokyne, Bezimenne, Samsonove, and Novoazovsk obtained by the Victory Sisters Foundation

Militant sniper groups have simultaneously stepped up their activity on several stretches.

Militants are moving 122 mm “Gvozdika” 2S1 self-propelled guns from the northern outskirts of Horlivka southwards (two self-propelled guns were observed on the move between Stroitel [Budivelnik] and the knitwear factory, moving under the cover of darkness).

“The DNR Ministry of Information ” (headed by “Acting Minister” Yelena Nikitina) has been instructed by its Moscow “supervisors” to dismantle all outdoor advertising of the social organisation “Patriotic Forces of Donbas” (headed by Alexander Khodakovsky) in militant-controlled settlements of the Donetsk Oblast. At the same time, the “DNR” leader, Oleksander Zakharchenko, has formed a special group of IT professionals (mainly Russian nationals) to work on blocking the Internet resources controlled by Khodakovsky. The presidential administration of the Russian Federation has specifically allocated the necessary funds to ensure these orders are carried out properly.

The first “DNR Minister of Defense” Igor Khakimzyanov (arrested by the “Azov” Regiment near Mariupol in 2014 and later returned to the militants in a prisoner of war exchange) has officially registered the “social organization” called “Union of Militia Veterans of Donbas – Voyevoda [Voivode, Warlord]” and is actively promoting it throughout the “DNR.” The movement aims to unite various small “NGO’s” of militants who have taken part in the fighting, as well as so-called “DNR” “volunteers” and “activists.”

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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