Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
03.01.2016
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

(See end of post for acronym glossary)

Operational data from Information Resistance:

Russian-terrorist forces in Donbas are still actively shelling the ATO forces positions’ across almost the entire western and northwestern directions of operation in the ATO zone, as well as south of Donetsk and in the coastal regions. New sectors of militant activity have emerged.

Heroes of the ATO: Olena Mosiychuk, 25-year old surgeon, member of the “Azov” battalion, who saved the lives of over 100 servicemen and survived Ilovaisk

Over the past 24 hours, militants fired at the ATO forces’ positions south of Orikhove, using 120 mm mortars and two AGS-17’s from a position near the 176.0 m high ground. The mortar shells overshot, but landed dangerously close to the [ATO forces’] positions.

From positions south of Novooleksandrivka, terrorists fired at a number of Ukrainian troop strongholds north of Novozvanivka (on the southern outskirts of Popasna) using automatic 82 mm 2B9 “Vasilek” mortars, heavy machine guns, and AGS-17’s. In addition, militants in positions beyond Novooleksandrivka made several strikes from 120 mm mortars.

The militants’ use of armored vehicles (BMP-2) was observed near Krasnohorivka.

East of Talakivka, militants from the section area north of Kominternove-Zaichenko carried out strikes from several 82 mm automatic 2B9 “Vasilek” mortars. Heavy machine gun shelling was also recorded in the vicinity of Vodyane.

Militants are reinforcing units of the 7th separate motorized rifle brigade (Ombr) of the “1st DNR Army Corps” in the vicinity of Debaltseve (Vuhlehirsk–Kalynivka) with military equipment and personnel. In the past 24 hours, about 10 armored combat vehicles (mainly BTR-80’s) and at least 10 trucks with personnel arrived to the locations of these units from the direction of Yenakijeve. Security personnel are on guard by the Debaltseve railway station tracks, where a shipment of ammunition and armor has arrived from the Russian Federation: four wagon loads of ammunition and two covered platform wagons with tracked vehicles.

Units of the Stakhanov militant group continue redeployment. At the same time, the Pervomaisk terrorist group task force is being reinforced with armored vehicles: up to 10 armored combat vehicles in the past 24 hours transferred towards Pervomaisk (mainly MT-LB 2’s and BMP-1’s).

Terrorist heavy armor and artillery are still present in the Bezimenne–Sakhanka area. Four tanks were spotted near Bezimenne, and three 122-mm 2S1 “Gvozdika” self-propelled guns, at positions beyond Sakhanka.

Militants of the 1st Slovyansk Brigade of the “Army of the DNR” are actively preparing a defense to repel an [alleged] ATO forces’ offensive. Additional engineering work is underway to equip and reinforce combat positions. At the same time, the “DNR” leadership instructed the supervisors of permanent medical establishments in Donetsk, Novoazovsk, and Telmanove to free up as many beds as possible in hospital wards by the start of March. The instruction explains that measures are related to the expected “offensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”

The “DNR” has forbidden “DNR government employees” from travelling to Ukraine-controlled territory. An order to that effect has been issued, applying to [“DNR”]  institutions and organizations. Written commitments “to remain in the territory” are being collected from employees.

The conflict continues in the “DNR” between Alexander Zakharchenko and Alexander Khodakovsky. The “DNR” leader, Alexander Zakharchenko, has ordered the “relevant law enforcement authorities” to verify “the legality of reception center locations” of the “Patriotic Forces of Donbas” social organization, and to collect compromising information on Alexander Khodakovsky [head of the above organization]. Earlier, an Internet conference call by Khodakovsky was disrupted by a false fire alert and the simultaneous power blackout of the “Patriotic Forces of Donbas” office where the event was to have taken place.

Sign warning about mines in Donbas.

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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