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)
01.20.2016
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

(See end of post for acronym glossary)

Operational data from Information Resistance:

Russian-terrorist forces in Donbas continue actively shelling the ATO forces’ positions, using DRGs to lay mines in the neutral zone, and approaching Ukrainian troops’ strongholds and checkpoints.

During the past 24 hours, militants opened fire on the ATO forces’ advanced positions near Mar’inka, as well as north of the town. Fire came from the west outskirts of Oleksandrivka and the Trudovski district [of Donetsk]. Terrorists used AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers (three units) and small arms (including heavy machine guns at two firing points).

Ukrainian troop positions near Pisky were shelled with 82 mm mortars and heavy machine guns from the direction of Zhobunky and Vesele. Militants shelled the ATO forces’ positions near Opytne from the direction of DAP and Spartak, using SPG-9’s, ZU-23-2’s, and small arms. The enemy fired 82 mm mortars and AGS-17’s on the town of Avdiivka (from the direction of Yasynuvata junction, the 252.2 m high ground and Kruta Balka).

Militant sniper groups are operating continuously on the stretch between Pisky and the southern outskirts of Avdiivka, usually under cover provided by other armaments (most commonly, 82 mm mortars and AGS-17).

Shellings by Russian-terorrist troops were also recorded south of Mayorsk, east of Novhorodske (from the 30 mm automatic cannon of a BMP-2), near Zaitseve (from ZU-23-2), and Starohnativka (small arms and AGS-17). Near Skeleve, Rozsadky, and Troitske, militants also used small arms and, in several instances, 82 mm mortars.

Enemy forces are more active in the coastal regions. Grenade launchers (AGS-17 and SGP-9) were fired towards Shyrokyne from the direction of Sakhanka, while Vodyane was shelled from 82 mm mortars. Small terrorist infantry groups entered the neutral zone and attempted to approach the ATO forces’ positions for close-range fire from small arms and RPG’s.

Militants are returning towards Luhansk armored vehicles that were previously removed from this area. Several convoys of ACV’s were spotted in the southern districts of the city: two BRM-1K’s and several MT-LB’s (as well as eight motor vehicles) were spotted near Yuzhnograd trade center, moving north; four BTR-80’s, two MT-LB’s, and four army trucks were seen east of the Proletariatu Donbasu [Donbas Proleteriate] quarter.

Militants are transferring reinforcements to the area of Horlivka, through Rumyantseva Street and Mykytivka, to strengthen the tactical group that continues firing on Zaitseve. The reinforcements spotted on the move included personnel (up to one company, on board of vehicles) and an armored group (three BMP-2’s and two MT-LB’s).

Northeast of Yenakijeve (between Bulavynske and Oleksandrivske), terrorist tanks were observed – 11 units. The tanks are entrenched in a forested area and camouflaged.

A terrorist command point is being transferred from one of the districts of Donetsk further south. The convoy includes three command and staff vehicles (KSM), two GAZ-66 vehicles, two Kamaz trucks (tented), two BTR-80’s, and one BMP-2.

A militant armored group of four BTR-70’s and BTR-80’s, and two BTP-2, arrived near Styla. The armored group was accompanied by two fuel tanker trucks.

Militants transferred an additional mortar unit (four 120 mm mortars) to the area of Telmanove, from the direction of Starobesheve.

Photo source: Hromadske Radio

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
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)
01.19.2016
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

(See end of post for acronym glossary)

Operational data from Information Resistance:

Russian-terrorist troops in Donbas continue shelling Ukrainian troop positions and civilian targets. Several clashes with the ATO forces were recorded. Militants remain active at the front line, operating with small infantry groups, as well as DRGs, which lay mines and conduct sabotage in the tactical rear of the Ukrainian troops. The main targets being shelled are the ATO forces’ advanced strongholds, observation points, and checkpoints no further than 5-6 km from the front line.

Two enemy radioelectronic warfare points are active: in the vicinity of Yenakijeve and south of Donetsk (near Kamyanka). They are being used by the enemy in an attempt to disrupt the ATO’s means of communication,

During the past 24 hours, militants shelled Ukrainian troops’ advanced positions east of Novhorodske, firing from the direction of the Zalizna Balka [river] and the waste banks of the Lenina Mine. The enemy delivered fire en masse, using a battery of 82 mm mortars (4-5 units), heavy machine guns, and stand-mounted grenade launchers (SPG-9 and AGS-17). At the same time, the ATO forces’ positions further south were also shelled, from the direction of Shyroka Balka. Militants used the on-board weaponry of BMP-2’s (using two units to fire and one for cover), and ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft units.

The ATO forces’ positions in the vicinity of Opytne, Pisky, and south of Avdiivka were shelled according to the established “pattern”: where enemy groups of 15-20 personnel advance to the neutral zone and open small arms fire, under covering fire of heavy machine guns (including those on board of APC’s) and heavy AGS-17 grenade launcher fire; militants also deployed 82 mm mortars in several instances.

In the vicinity of Bohdanivka and Novohnativka, terrorists fired from the direction of Styla, using grenade launchers and the on-board weaponry of BMP-2’s. According to our preliminary data, north of Bohdanivka, the enemy deployed 122 mm cannon artillery (reports currently being confirmed). Southwest of Styla, we observed another movement of militant armored vehicles (the IR group previously reported on the reinforcement of Russian-terrorist troops in this direction of operations). Near Starohnativka, militants deployed ACVs, small arms, and grenade launchers.

In the area of Vodyane, a terrorist infantry group attempted to approach the ATO forces’ positions under cover of 120 mm mortars (8 mortar rounds were fired). Terrorists also deployed 122 mm mortars south of Mayorsk (12 mortar rounds fired towards the ATO forces’ stronghold).

Recently, large numbers of armored combat vehicles (ACV’s), including BMP-1, BMP-2, BTR-70, BTR-80, and MT-LB, regularly appear and are deployed by Russian-terrorist troop formations at the front line. Militants mainly use ACVs in the areas of Horlivka, Donetsk, and Dokuchajevsk. In a number of sections, we are also observing militants returning heavy armor (tanks) to positions – this equipment is camouflaged, and mainly moved during nighttime.

The militant reinforced battalion deployed east of Horlivka started equipping firing positions. Engineering equipment has been moved to this area for that purpose, including two excavators, one PZM-2 regimental ditch-digger, and a bulldozer.

Two railway cars with ammunition arrived at Krasnodon station from the Russian Federation.

A new militant artillery unit (six 122 mm “Gvozdika” 2S1 artillery units) arrived in the area of Khoroshe – Stepove.

Photo: News Daily

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
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.