Voices of Ukraine

Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
03.02.2016
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

(See end of post for acronym glossary)

Operational data from Information Resistance:

Increased activity by Russian-terrorist troops is noted across the broad strip from Mar’inka to the Svitlodarsk bridgehead (Luhanske–Skeleve–Rozsadky). Militants’ shelling is also observed in the coastal regions: Hnutove–Talakivka–Vodyane–Lebedynske.

Militants continue accumulating armored vehicles and artillery in the Petrovskiy district of Donetsk. Six 122 mm “Gvozdika” 2S1 self-propelled guns, two BTR-80’s, and three MT-LB’s were spotted north of Petrovskoho Street. Terrorist tanks (up to one company in strength) were seen west of Kobzarya Avenue. Four Ural trucks with personnel (two towing ZU-23-2’s on trailers), two BTR-80’s, and one BMP-2 arrived by the Yasynuvatske Shosse [Motorway] bound for Spartak to provide reinforcements (or for troop rotation).

Militant armored vehicles (several MT-LB’s and three BMP-2’s) from their tactical group deployed near Kruta Balka were transferred to reinforce militant forces in the vicinity of Yasynuvata junction and the 251.2 m high ground.

In the coastal regions, militants are strengthening two of their tactical groups. One is deployed along the Olenivka–Dokuchajevsk–Styla line; the other, in the vicinity of Telmanove. Over the past 24 hours, these groups received a total of five BMP-2’s, six BTR-70’s or BTR-80’s, two MT-LB’s, and 10-11 trucks. Most of the resources are being transferred from the direction of Starobesheve. In view of this, the recent demonstrative increase in terrorist activity in the Sakhanka–Kominternove–Zaichenko area could be an attempt to divert attention from the reinforcement of these groups.

Photo by Dmitry Kapustin

Ten tanker trucks arrived in Luhansk from the direction of Krasnodon. The same convoy included two “Akatsiya” SAU 2S3 self-propelled artillery guns, tarpaulined and carried on board of tank transporters.

At the end of February, the 9th regiment of the “1st DNR Army Corps” (temporarily deployed in the Novoazovskyi district) was inspected by “ministerial commissions.” These were headed by the commander of the “1st DNR AC,” Major-General of the Russian Armed Forces Valeriy Asapov, and a representative of the “DNR central military prosecutor’s office,” Magir Akhmetov. The commissions conducted inspections of advanced militant positions in the Shyrokyne–Kominternove area. During the inspection, the commander of the 2nd Battalion of the 9th regiment (call sign “Shaman”) was recalled from “leave” to give explanations about the cases of “looting and moral depravity among the personnel” in said battalion.

After the commissions’ visit, militants stepped up their activity in equipping their advanced combat positions. In Sakhanka and Kominternove, militants set up reinforced command and observation posts. To this end, engineering works went on for two days straight, even during night-time, making use of building materials obtained by dismantling private homes in the area. Presently, supplies and materials for all construction, repair, and engineering work on militant positions in the Novoazovskyi district come from the looting and dismantling of agricultural facilities and various other buildings. The school in Kominternove has been completely ransacked.

Russia is taking steps to draw the “L/DNR” into “political confrontation” with Turkey. By orders of the Russian “supervisors,” the “DNR People’s Council” has drawn up a draft law: “On parliamentary hearings for the “DNR” to recognize the genocide of the Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire in 1915.” The consideration on the draft law is scheduled for March 4 [2016].

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

This translation work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The rights pertaining to the original work remain unaffected.

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

This translation work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The rights pertaining to the original work remain unaffected.

Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
02.26.2016
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 shelled mainly the Donetsk area and the coastal regions.

At the same time, the IR group has noted that enemy troops in the Luhansk direction of operations are actively redeploying (units and detachments of the “2nd LNR Army Corps [A.C.]” opposite the broad stretch between Popasna and Syze [Syh-zeh]), while militants make no real military engagement attempts on this section of the front line. It is worth noting that earlier, almost all units and detachments of the “2nd A.C.” had been involved in large-scale exercises, held simultaneously with the exercises of the Russian Armed Forces’ near the Ukrainian border and in occupied Crimea. The “2nd A.C.” units have also recently received reinforcements – for example, one of its artillery brigades received an “Uragan” [“Hurricane”] 9K57 MLRS division (18 systems) from the Russian Federation.

Enemy troop activity was observed on the section south and southwest of Avdiivka. After Ukrainian troops occupied the industrial zone in front of the 272.2 m high ground and the Yasynuvata junction, that area as well as neighboring strongholds (including those at the Butovka  [Mine] and the “Zenith” position) have come under constant terrorist fire. Militants used the on-board weapons of BMP-1’s and BMP-2’s, as well as 120 mm mortars and tanks to shell the [ATO forces’ positions].

Militants also deployed 120 mm mortars against the ATO forces’ positions west of Pisky (in the vicinity of Nevelske and on the southern outskirts of Pervomaiske). The shelling originated from two points on the western edge of the Vtoraya Ploshchadka estate.

Near Zaitseve, terrorists fired using three 82 mm “Vasilek” 2B9 mortars, from the hills on the western outskirts of Holmivskyi and from the area north of Terykonna station [Horlivka]. Fifteen 120 mm mortar rounds were fired from the same direction.

Ukrainian military servicemen. Photo by the Victory Sisters Foundation

In the coastal regions (Kominternove), two militant strike groups operating near Sakhanka and west of Zaichenko are subjecting the ATO forces’ positions to continuous fire.

The Chermalyk area and the [ATO forces’] stronghold in its vicinity was shelled by terrorist 82 mm mortars from the direction of Naberezhne and the bend in the river Kalmius (south of the settlement). Heavy machine guns and ZU-23-2’s opened fire several times.

Military Jazz:

The military band of the 30th Separate Aeromobile Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces threw an impromptu concert at the Rivne training ground

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

This translation work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The rights pertaining to the original work remain unaffected.

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

This translation work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. The rights pertaining to the original work remain unaffected.