Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
06.16.2016
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 increasingly making active use of 120 mm mortars, 122 mm and 152 mm artillery, tanks, and light armored vehicles. There is a definite increase in the intensity and power of terrorist shelling, as well as escalation in fighting south of Donetsk, and in the coastal direction of operations. At the same time, the situation is intensifying along previously tense stretches, west and northwest of Donetsk, in the Horlivka area, and on the Svitlodarsk salient.

The most remarkable violations of the Minsk agreements by Russian-terrorist forces during the past 24 hours were as follows:

Butivka area – two strikes with 120 mm mortars, followed by a short but powerful artillery strike (152 mm “Msta-B” howitzers from positions located near the western edge of Spartak).

Mortar shelling with 120 mm mortars in the Mar’inka area. De facto, militants are shelling along the whole stretch between Mar’inka and Novotroitske, using small arms, grenade launchers, 120 mm mortars, occasionally 122 mm artillery (“roving” 122 mm D-30\30A howitzer batteries).

Russian occupiers shelled a residential building in Krasnohorivka, June 16, 2016. This photo and the 2 below: source

Krasnohorivka area – a militant tank unit was spotted. A pair of tanks advanced into the “greenery” at the Zhilploschadka estate, and fired on the ATO forces’ strongholds and observation posts, as well as on the southern and eastern outskirts of Krasnohorivka. Another tank opened fire twice, from the southeastern part of Staromykhailivka (inside the private residences sector, hidden in ruins), at advanced Ukrainian troop positions in the eastern part of Krasnohorivka.

In the vicinity of Chermalyk, we observed “range-finding” fire from 122 mm cannon artillery (a militant D-30\30A 122 mm howitzer battery positioned between Tavrycheske and Naberezhne). The shells landed north of the village.

Militants used 120 mm mortars against the ATO forces’ positions near Dokuchajevsk (firing at the “gray waste mound” from the direction of the Tsentralnyy Karyer slag heaps), as well as near Berezove and Taramchuk.

Operating from positions on the left bank of the Kalmius [river], northeast of Pavlopil, militants shelled Ukrainian troop strongholds and checkpoints to the northwest of the town, and further, close to the pontoon bridge. The shelling was carried out by an 82 mm mortar battery, then by four 120 mm mortars. In the same area, a militant group (up to one platoon in strength) supported by one BMP-1 and two BTR-80’s tried to break through the Ukrainian troops’ flank position and deeper behind their combat lines. The attack was repelled. During the clash, a pair of militant “Gvozdika” 2S1 122 mm self-propelled guns shelled the ATO forces’ front edge and targets in the defensive rear. The shelling came was from positions north of Oktyabr.

The Telmanove and Dokuchajevsk Russian-terrorist troop groups have been reinforced with artillery, a cannon artillery division each (“Msta-B”, D-30). Regular supplies of ammunition (7-8 trucks per day) are arriving in the Dokuchajevsk area from the direction of Styla.

South of Yakovlivka, a militant “roving” battery of 2S3 “Akatsia” 152 mm self-propelled guns has been spotted. North of Yasynuvata, in the forest ranger area, a militant “motorized infantry company” with 11 BBM armed fighting vehicles has been noted, as well as four tank positions.

“DNR” militants have resumed actively transporting military cargoes by road through Yenakijeve  (via Magistralna Street) to Horlivka. The freights are mainly supplies and ammunition. Some 35 trucks have been seen on the move during the past 24 hours.

A convoy of BM-21 “Grad” MLRS (under tented canopies) and trucks with personnel have arrived in the Ilovaisk area from the Russian Federation (via Avilo-Uspenka) after passing through Amvrosiivka. The tactical marking on the vehicle sides is the number “35” enclosed in a diamond.

In Donetsk, there is considerable movement of military equipment arriving on the site of the former Operational Militarized Mining Rescue Detachment of the GVGSS [State Militarized Mining Rescue Service] (7 Mykolenka Lane). In addition, off-road Land Rover and Toyota vehicles with Russian Federation number plates have arrived at this facility, carrying a group of Russian Armed Forces officers, ranking from major to colonel. The site is surrounded by a fence over 4 meters high, with surveillance cameras installed around the perimeter, and several rows of barbed wire, 7-8 meters in front of the fence. Previously deployed on this site were units of the 66th Separate Russian Armed Forces Communications Brigade (troop command 41600 stationed in Stavropol, Russia) and units of the 18th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the Southern Military District of the Russia Federation (troop command 2777 in Khankala, Russia). Currently, the site’s guard detail has been increased from three personnel to 15 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces.

From the trenches in the industrial zone of Avdiivka. Source: PS video

Preparations are underway in the “DNR” for a “general mobilization.” It has been announced that all “DNR citizens” of military service age must “register with the military enlistment offices,” and that the notification system will be overhauled. Persons avoiding “registration” risk becoming “criminally liable.” It is noteworthy that these measures in the “DNR” coincide with the call-up of reservists in the Russian Federation (during events taking place on June 14th-22nd, reservists are receiving firing, military, and “socio-governmental” training under the supervision of officers from the General Staff of the Russian Federation Armed Forces).

The latest episode of “spy fever” is taking place in the “LNR.” Agents of the “LNR Ministry for State Security [MGB]” are spreading rumors that “saboteurs from the Right Sector” will try to poison drinking water in separatist districts of Luhansk Oblast [ORLO]. According to the rumors, the “saboteurs” travel on bicycles, carrying backpacks with poisonous substances. Also actively involved in spreading these rumors are “youth activists,” representatives of the newly established “Molodaya Gvardiya” [Youth Guard] organization (founded under the sponsorship of the “Myr Luganshchyne” [Peace to Luhansk Land] social organisation controlled by Igor Plotnitskiy).

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB 

Glossary:

AC – Army Corps
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
ELINT – Electronic Intelligence
GRU – Russian Defense Intelligence, the main military foreign-intelligence service of the Russian Federation
KSM – command and staff vehicle
LNR – “Luhansk People’s Republic”
MGB – Ministry of State Security
MOD – Ministry of Defense
MT-LB – light multipurpose tracked vehicle
MLRS – multiple-launch rocket systems
OMSBR – Independent Motorized Rifle Brigade
SBU – Ukrainian Secret Service
SPG-9 – stand-mounted grenade launcher
TZM, TLV – transporter-loading vehicle
UAV – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (drones or other)
ZU-23-2 – anti-aircraft artillery system

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