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)
04.09.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance:

During the last 24 hours, increased activity by Russian-terrorist forces has been observed in the ATO zone.

In addition to multiple attacks in different parts of the demarcation line, insurgents have carried out limited tactical offensives on one stretch (in the Luhansk region) in the vicinity of the Bakhmut highway, attacking the advanced positions of Ukrainian troops. For half an hour, Ukrainian soldiers engaged in a close firefight with an attacking enemy infantry team (up to a company in size), which was supported by several armored vehicles (4 vehicles operated near the positions of the ATO forces, one of which was a tank; 5 more armored vehicles supported insurgent infantry with heavy fire from the inside of their military formations). As a result of combat, insurgents were pushed back to the starting line.

In the vicinity of ​​Bolotene [Luhansk region], insurgents attacked positions of Ukrainian troops with mortar fire. In Donetsk region, positions of Ukrainian troops near the settlements of Novosilka, Opytne, Avdiivka, Berdyanske came under the mortar fire of terrorists. During all of the attacks, Russian-terrorist forces mainly used 120-mm mortars that have been allegedly “moved away” [from the area. Ed. note: as per Minsk II agreement]. The enemy combined mortar fire with other heavy infantry weapons – heavy machine guns, heavy grenade launchers, and small arms.

Also, insurgents inflicted an artillery attack using 122-mm D-30 systems (also supposedly “moved away”). In addition, “wandering” [mobile] terrorist tanks opened fire at the positions of our troops in this area three times. On the Opytne – Avdiivka stretch, firing enemy infantry groups attempted to butt through inbetween Ukrainian units. Insurgents actively used Zu-23-2 systems and mortars during these attempts.

In the vicinity of Hranytne (south of Donetsk) a mobile firing group of terrorists, armed with anti-tank systems, ambushed and tried to destroy several armored units of the ATO forces. However, launches of anti-tank guided missiles from an earlier established firing position were unsuccessful for the insurgents – none of the anti-tank missiles hit the target.

Russian-terrorist forces continue to carry out the regrouping of their troops. In particular, a tank tactical group previously recorded by the IR group to be on the march (moving through Luhansk) came out at the Pervomaisk–Stakhanov direction, some tanks (7 vehicles) left towards Horlivka. Following the tank convoy on the same day, 11 liquid bulk tank truck tankers and 4 specialized vehicles (mobile machine army shops) proceeded along the same route.

A company tactical group of insurgents concentrated near Starobesheve, previously reported by the IR group, began to advance towards the front (west and north-west of Telmanove, possibly advancing towards Dokuchajevsk).

Reinforcements continue to arrive in the vicinity of Novoazovsk – Oktyabr – Bezimenne for gangs that are waging heavy fighting with Ukrainian troops on the Shyrokyne – Chermalyk stretch. A sharp decline in the number of reinforcements for Russian mercenaries has been observed, the majority of them – are local “DNR” insurgents (Russian mercenaries are observed mainly as part of the crews for the military equipment transferred from Russia). At the moment, 550-600 people have been transferred as reinforcements into the area.

Besides combat activity, Russian-terrorist forces continue to actively increase combat readiness of their formations and carry out mobilization activities.

The system of repair and maintenance of military equipment and means of insurgent transportation have been practically finalized on the occupied territory. If last year the share of returned military equipment that was previously out of order was estimated by the IR group at not more than 5-7%, today, the share has reached a rate of 25-30%.

Also, works to increase the capacity of major railroad and automobile communications controlled by the occupiers have been observed, to transfer weapons and  material and technical resources from Russia.

During the past 24 hours, a sharp increase in the number of supply convoys has been observed – overall, movement of 44 vehicles (mostly through the “northern” route, a significant number of vehicles was recorded on the Krasnyi Luch – Debaltseve stretch (21 vehicles in two convoys), and between Alchevsk and Stakhanov (13 army trucks, also in two convoys).

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB

Dmitry Tymchuk, Head of the Center for Military and Political Research, Coordinator of the Information Resistance group, Member of Parliament (People’s Front)
04.08.2015
Translated and edited by Voices of Ukraine

Operational data from Information Resistance:

In the course of the last 24 hours, the situation in the ATO zone remained complex, with signs that point to further exacerbation. Russian-terrorist troops fired on Ukrainian positions and civilian settlements approximately 40 times. Also, during the last 24 hours, the enemy made six attempts to attack the positions of the Ukrainian army; in some of the attacks, they used combat equipment (up to 3-4 units per attack).

For active offensives, Russian-terrorist troops mostly use small arms. We also observed that the terrorists are using mortars (including 120-mm mortars that, in accordance with the Minsk Agreements, should have been withdrawn behind the contact line), armored vehicles, as well as artillery (in particular, D-30 howitzers and SAU 2S1 “Gvozdika” [“Carnation”] self-propelled artillery unit). Based on this, we can state that the blatant violations of the “truce” terms by the Russian-terrorist troops are not isolated incidents caused by “lack of discipline” in the insurgents ranks, but a conscious and intentional military approach of the “DNR” [Donetsk People’s Republic] and the “LNR” [Luhansk People’s Republic].

The gravest situation was observed in the Donetsk and Luhansk sectors, where shelling by terrorists was the most active and used a wide range of weapons, including those prohibited by the Minsk Agreements terms.

On the morning of 04.07.2015, the advance positions of the Ukrainian army in the vicinity of Opytne (Donetsk sector) were fired at from 120-mm mortars, followed by an attack (a diversionary group in a frontal attack, combined with the main forces attacking from the flanks). During the attack, the insurgents actively used small arms and heavy infantry weapons (mounted and hand-held grenade launchers). At first, the enemy was stopped by the retaliatory fire of one of Ukrainian strongholds, then an advanced party of the ATO forces, working with a cover of armored equipment, forced the enemy back to their starting positions.

Fighters of the Azov Battalion prepare to fire an anti-tank weapon in the town of Shyrokyne, eastern Ukraine on Sunday, March 23. Photographer: Mstyslav Chernov/AP Photo

The terrorists also attacked the positions of the Ukrainian forces near the settlement of Novotoshkivske, as well as several Ukrainian ATO positions in the Seaside [Mariupol] sector and near Avdiivka (Artemivsk sector). These attacks were carried out by small infantry groups with the active support of armored vehicles. Also, in order to provide fire support to the “infantry” during the attacks, the terrorists employed mobile artillery and mortar squads (usually up to 4 units), which fired from camouflaged, pre-equipped firing positions.

In the vicinity of Krymske, an insurgent fired upon the Ukrainian troops using two combat groups: an infantry group and an armored group. A group of 3 infantry combat machines (BMP-2), acting under cover of mortar fire, occupied a pre-equipped firing position and fired heavily on the positions of ATO forces, using small arms, BMP weapons, 120-mm mortars, and ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft guns. Every attempt of the insurgents to force the Ukrainian forces back from their positions was unsuccessful. The Ukrainian troops returned fire.

We have observed a mixed battalion-tactical group of the enemy transferring to Bezimenne and Novoazovsk. The group consists of two reinforced companies (200-220 people), 7 tanks, and 22 armored combat vehicles.

Reinforcements of Russian-terrorist troops continue arriving in the Artemivsk sector (we have spotted 3 armored combat vehicles and 6 tanks transferring via Chornykhyne).

In the Kuibyshivskyi and Kyivskyi districts of Donetsk, advance mobile insurgent groups are forming to operate on the Krasnohorivka – Avdiivka stretch. For these purposes, a total of 23 armored vehicles (mainly ones that underwent repair), including 10 tanks, were transferred here over the last 2 days, from the vicinity of Snizhne and Amvrosiivka.

Russian-terrorist troops in Donbas continue restoring their combat capacity and building up stocks of supplies and technical resources. Over the last 24 hours, 38 vehicles arrived as part of convoys from Russia (including 16 fuel tankers and 5-6 specialized vehicles). They were mainly moving along the “northern” route (from Lutuhyne and Luhansk to Alchevsk and Perevalsk, then directly to the areas of gang concentration in the vicinity of Stakhanov, Bryanka and Pervomaisk). Supply vehicles were also spotted moving through Chornukhyne – Debaltseve – Vuhlehirsk, to Yasynuvata and the terrorists’ “Horlivka garrison.”

Source: Dmitry Tymchuk FB