Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
03.04.2016
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

(See end of post for acronym glossary)

Operational data from Information Resistance:

In addition to the “traditional” weapons like small arms, grenade launchers, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars, Russian-terrorist troops in Donbas once again began using rocket artillery for fire attacks on the ATO forces’ positions and civilian objects (MLRS BM-21 “Grad” systems were used to fire at strongholds in the area of Krasnohorivka and Nevelske) and 152 mm artillery (“Msta-B” howitzers were used in the area of Zaitseve).

The intensity of the shelling is growing, not only in the “traditionally hot” sections, but also in several other areas. In the coastal regions, terrorist shelling began in the areas of Pavlopil and Chermalyk. Militant activity intensified in the area of the Svitlodarsk ridge (the area of Rozsadky and Skeleve). Attacks by fire from small arms are observed in the area of Zolote.

In the area south of Donetsk, another armed confrontation was recorded. Namely, Ukrainian troop strongholds south of Novotroitsk were attacked by an enemy infantry group (about 50 personnel in total, divided into three subgroups). This group moved forward from the vicinity of Tsentralnyy Karyer [Central Quarry] (Dokuchajevsk): one subgroup bypassed the ATO forces’ advanced position along its flank (moving through the greenery), and tried to fire at another ATO forces’ stronghold using RPG’s and automatic small arms and machine guns, while a second subgroup blocked the neighboring stronghold. After a brief confrontation, militants retreated in the direction of the Central Quarry and the old colony.

Terrorist units switched to a heightened state of readiness in several areas (Petrovskiy district of Donetsk, Putylivka–Spartak–DAP, Yasynuvata, “Horlivka garrison,” Olenivka–Dokuchajevsk stretch, the Sakhanka–Zaichenko group and the Stakhanov group). Militants are actively delivering material and technical supplies to these groups, and resupplying them with personnel and equipment. Regular meetings with the “command staff” are held at the headquarters of the militant 1st and 2nd “Army Corps” (at the “1st Army Corps,” the “DNR” ringleader Alexander Zakharchenko held a secret meeting with gang commanders). A large number of battalion-level units of the “1st AC” (mainly from the second echelon) are undergoing combat coordination exercises in so-called “training centers.”

A number of first-line militant units are considerably understaffed. In the meantime, their commanders report that their units are fully staffed, for reasons of personal gain – in order to receive financial and material supplies for full staff numbers. This pattern is typical for units in a number of areas south of Donetsk, north of Luhansk, and in the areas along the border of the “DNR” and “LNR”‘s respective responsibility zones.

“Telmanove area, March 2, 1st separate motor rifle brigade of Putin’s orcs. The land is ready for war?” @GirkinGirkin

The “DNR” command organized mandatory lectures for medical staff in the health facilities of Kirovske, Komsomolsk, Telmanove, and Novoazovsk (Donetsk Oblast). The main subject matter [of these lectures] are the types of combat injuries and their treatment. All medical staff, regardless of their specialization, must attend the lectures. Currently, about 30% of beds in inpatient departments of medical institutions in the above towns are kept vacant, in order to provide immediate medical assistance to militants, if necessary. The lectures are conducted under the pretext of the anticipated large-scale offensive by Ukrainian troops.

Discontent is on the rise among the militants of the “1st Army Corps of the DNR,” aimed at officers of the Russian Armed Forces appointed as commanding officers among this unit. The strongest causes of this discontent are drill training and the rigorous demands to strengthen military discipline. Another cause for irritation is the requirement to prepare “emergency suitcases” (containing a compass, a map-marking stencil, pencils, etc.) at the militants’ own expense.

In the course of investigating the “Vostok” gang command, representatives of the “DNR MIA” and the “DNR prosecutor’s office” established that militant commanders are actively seeking ways to sell the coal mined in the occupied areas (in particular, [the coal mined from] “dugouts” in the area of Torez). In addition, gang commanders instructed militants to seek out various profitable manufacturing facilities, which the gang aims to take control of (most recently, a poultry farm near Krasnyi Partyzan came “under the patronage” of militants in this manner). In its defense, the “Vostok” command proclaim that they are seeking such facilities in order to “officially execute a lease,” with the alleged intention to conclude contracts and subsequently make payments under them.

Train cars full of coal at Yasynuvata. Photo by @GirkinGirkin

The “Ministry of State Security of the LNR” launched investigations of several commanders of the “2nd AC of the LNR” in connection with their participation in “contraband schemes.” The Russian FSB representatives in the “LNR” demand that these cases are handed over to their jurisdiction, because names of Russian servicemen keep cropping up in the course of investigation. Spy scares are on the rise in the “Republic” – intensive “search operations” to identify “Ukrainian spies” are currently underway in several towns (Rovenky, Antratsyt, Krasnyi Luch, Krasnodon).

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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