Anti-Terrorist operation: Summary for August 4, 2014

byRoman Burko

05/08/2014

3 minute read

By Roman Burko, burkonews.info

According to the official sources, Ukrainian forces have liberated Yasynuvata (Donetsk Oblast) today. However, alternative sources do not confirm this information and therefore we are waiting for new facts to confirm or deny this information. Yasynuvata is really a very important object that allows controlling entrances to Donetsk from the north. However, its strategic importance should not be overestimated. We do not think that terrorists use railroad to transfer their freights; moreover, they have lines of retreat from Horlivka to Donetsk via Yenakijeve which is still controlled by terrorists.

There are alarming facts about the grouping of terrorists in Horlivka: the terrorists very skillfully hid their positions in Holmivskiy village.

Recall that the ATO forces there have already struck against the dolomite plant and the special school: these buildings were occupied by terrorists. It is most likely that after the attack the terrorists scattered through the woods in the area of the dolomite plant. It is possible that the terrorists returned to their positions later thinking that lightning does not strike twice. Besides, according to not yet confirmed information, there is an accumulation of terrorist forces in the area of Molochny settlement; this could be a hint at a counterattack in the area of Debaltseve (it can also be attacked from Irmino, just like we predicted yesterday).

After the successful counterattack by the terrorists upon Marinka, Ukrainian military were forced to retreat; however, today they have gotten back their former positions with the help of territorial self-defense battalions of “Shakhtar” and “Azov”.

Official representatives even talk about an assault of Donetsk which will allegedly happen in the near future. This sounds great, but: today in Zello channels of terrorists a gathering of major criminals was announced. During this gathering Girkin will allegedly allow all ringleaders to leave Donetsk. This sounds at least strange, considering that military equipment of terrorists moves from Khartsyzk to Donetsk. Even if they leave, where will they go?

This could be a demonstration maneuver: terrorist can possibly counterattack towards Marinka and then fall back to Mariupol: this is where the Russian forces are presumably preparing a breakthrough. It is interesting that in the evening, when we were about to publish the summary, approximately by 21:00 – 21:30 several armored vehicles of the terrorists have moved towards the Mariupol highway.

As for the eastern sector: the armored vehicles of terrorists accumulated in that area attacked the positions of the combined forces of the 72nd and 51st brigades in the area of Chervonopartyzansk. After a long shelling by MRLS BM-21 “Grad” and tanks, Ukrainian servicemen along with the border guards had to perform an unexpected maneuver and retreat to the territory of the Russian Federation. Active operational actions of terrorists in that area are the consequence of unlock of communication lines between Dmytrivka and Dyakove. Accordingly, the ATO forces in the area of Chervonopartyzansk could receive the promised reinforcement in the near future and that is why the terrorists dealt with that very promptly. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine announced that the servicemen would return to Ukraine very soon.

The ATO forces continue to advance upon Shakhtarsk. Ukrainian military were able to entrench on the outskirts of the city but it is very far from complete liberation given that there are terrorist groupings in Perevalsk, Alchevsk, Stakhanov and Pervomaisk.

The attack upon Luhansk from the north continues. The information about liberation of Velyka Verhunka has finally confirmed. However, the question with the grouping of the ATO forces near Lutuhyne still remain open given continuous transfers of reinforcement for militants from the Russian Federation.

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February 28: Russia continues to transfer mercenaries, weapons and military equipment to the territory, temporarily controlled by the terrorists

February 28 – Former MP (Party of Regions) Mikhaylo Chechetov was found dead, supposedly haven fallen from his 17th floor apartment. During Yanukovych's regime, Chechetov was responsible for controlling the voting for all illegal Supreme Council decisions. Before being elected as MP, Chechetov served as Chairman of the committee on privatization of state property and it has been alleged that in many instances privatization was also carried out improperly.

February 28 – Russia continues to transfer mercenaries, weapons and military equipment to the territory, temporarily controlled by the terrorists, NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko. "The enemy is recovering combat capabilities – continues to replenish ammunition, stocks, fuel, as well as accumulates manpower and military equipment".

February 28 – Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov has promised to disclose evidence of the participation of Russian armed forces in the conflict in Donbas, – said the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko: "Few weeks ago I talked to him about rebuilding relations between Ukraine and Russia in a way, which would be beneficial to us. Boris has stated that he plans to disclose compelling evidence of presence of Russian armed forces in Ukraine. Someone was very afraid of this. Boris was not afraid, his assassins were. They killed him."

February 28 – So-called "Supreme Court of Crimea" has rejected the appeal by a Deputy Chairman of Mejlis of Crimean Tatars Akhtem Chyihoz regarding his arrest and left him in custody. Repressions against Crimean Tatars continue.

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March 6: Moscow will not support the mission of peacekeeping forces to Ukraine

March 7 – 1541 Ukrainian military have died during the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine, – said Yuriy Segeyev,Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations.

March 7 – 500 bodies of local residents were found in the basements of apartment buildings in Debaltseve. These people were killed by Russian artillery, used to invade the city. At that point all escape routes were blocked by the Russians, – stated United States Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.

March 7 – Last night powerful signals intelligence systems were installed along the border with Kharkiv oblast (on the Russian side), said the Ukrainian MP and member of parliamentary committee on National Security and Defence Andriy Levus.

March 7 – The US has suspended its project on providing training to Ukrainian military. The administration in Washington would like to first observe how the parties to the conflict in eastern Ukraine will respect the ceasefire. Under the proposed project, a battalion of American soldiers could train three battalions of Ukrainian military.

March 7 – Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of Russian State Duma Alexei Pushkov believes that if the key to peace in Donbas could be in the EU influencing the US to refrain from providing Ukraine with weapons. Whereas Russia, of course, will continue to regularly provide weapons to its troops and pro-Russian militants in Donbas. THEN the peace will come. Peace Russian-style.

March 7 – Sooner or later the sanctions against Russia will continue, but at present this issue is not on the agenda, – said Foreign Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius.

March 7 – Another "humanitarian aid convoy" broke into Ukraine – on personal instructions from Putin. More weapons and soldiers were delivered.

March 7 – Construction of new NATO bases in Europe is not being considered at the moment, – said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Lubomír Zaorálek. Instead, the Baltic States and Poland are insisting to increase the number of NATO exercises due to the escalation of the situation around Ukraine. The US has initiated Atlantic Resolve program, aimed at consolidating its military presence in Europe. According to Internet media DefenceNews, official Washington is considering systematic use of military ranges in Czech Republic, Hungary and Georgia for the abovementioned exercises.

March 6 – Russia thretened USA that it would begin an attack on Kyiv in case there is a supply of arms to Ukraine. This was stated by the people's deputy, a member of the Collegium of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Anton Herashchenko, on the air of the program Shuster Live, reported RBK-Ukraina. "I was in Washington, and met with certain groups of analysts, and posed to them one question: "Why is President Obama so insistently refusing to undertake the decision, already ratified by Congress, on provioding weapons to Ukraine. I was told that Putin warned President Obama and his advisers that if the United States provides arms to Ukraine, then Putin will dare to attack Kyiv from all fronts," stated Herashchenko. Let us remember that on the day before, 8 Congress members appealed to Obama to hurry in providing Ukraine with weapons. In its turn, Russia urged Ukraine and the United Staets to "consider the consequences" of army collaboration. On March 4th, the State Department stated that Obama had until now still not made a decision about providing Ukraine with weapons.

March 6 – No Ukrainian military were killed and 4 were injured in the last 24 hours in the ATO area, informed NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

March 6 – Pro-Russian militants are withdrawing insignificant numbers of artillery weapons from the boundary line in Donbas, however are accumulating forces in the "near front-line" areas, informed the organiser of "Information resistance" group Dmytro Tymchuk.

March 6 – A group of American congressmen representing both Democratic and Republican parties have once again urged the US President Barack Obama to provide Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons. But Obama is still "contemplating"...

March 6 – Russian gold reserves continue to decrease. The volume of international (gold) reserves of Russia on March 1stamounted to 360.2 billion USD. In February it was at 376.2 billion USD (minimum value since the beginning of 2007). Russia's reserves decreased by 16 billion USD in one month. War is expensive.

March 6 – Official exchange rate of UAH to USD is now less than 23 UAH per 1 USD. On Friday, March 6th, National Bank of Ukraine has established the exchange rate of 22,8970 UAH per 1 USD.

March 6 – Another explosion has happened in Kharkiv – this time a minibus belonging to volunteer battalion commander of "Slobozhanshchyna" Battalion Andriy Yangolenko was blown up. A Russian mine was planted in the car.

March 6 – Donetsk separatist Andrey Purgin, a self-professed speaker of "Donetsk People's Republic" has requested that the Speaker of Ukrainian Parliament Volodymyr Groysman meets with "DPR" delegation to discuss amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine. As it has been reported, 11th provision of implementation plan of Minsk agreements implies "decentralization (while taking into account certain characteristics of identified rayons of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, which have been agreed upon with the representatives of these rayons), as well as adopting a law on special status of the identified rayons of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts."

March 6 – The value of assets of the Armed-Sea Forces of Ukraine (ASFU) captured by Russia in Crimea is estimated at a minimum of 1 billion 495 million Ukrainian hryvni. Until the moment when in June 2014, Russia unilaterally ceased all negotiations about the return of weapons, supplies, and wealth of the ASFU, Russia succeeded in removing from Crimea:

Combat ships – 3 units;

Security vessels – 32 units;

Automobiles, armored tanks,and specialized tanks – 1,438 units;

Flying apparatus (airplanes and helicopters) – 24 units.

Left in Crimea were:

Combat ships and patrol boats – 11 units;

Ships and security patrol boats – 6 units;

Automobiles, armored tanks,and specialized tanks – 2,363 units;

Flying apparatus – 3 units;

Coastal anti-ship complexes – 6 units.

March 5 – 1 Ukrainian military was killed and 1 wounded in Donbas in the last 24 hours, – informed acting spokesman of the General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces Vladyslav Seleznyov.

March 5 – In Crimea, Russian authorities are questioning the participants of the II All-Crimean Conference of the Committee on protecting the rights of Crimean Tatar people, – informed on his Facebook page Committee Chairman and Majlis member, Eskender Bariev.

March 5 – "Authorities" of the occupied Crimea have refused to investigate the murder of Crimean Tatar Mr.Ametov. They have killed Crimean Tatars in the past and will continue killing them in the future.

March 5 – Nadiya Savchenko, who was on hunger strike for 83 days, has agreed to stop. "I am learning to change my tactics. Yes, physically I feel lousy, but not bad enough to have to die right now. So for some time I will be drinking broth – if I have to live, I will fly, if I have to die, I will die healthy", – she wrote.

March 5 – Moscow will not support the mission of peacekeeping forces to Ukraine, if such a proposal is submitted to UN Security Council, – said Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov

March 5 – The number of cases of unjustified detention of citizens of Ukraine has increased in Russia, – statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine

March 5 – "Large numbers" of Russian soldiers are dying in eastern Ukraine, where for almost a year pro-Russian separatists have been fighting against the Ukrainian government, – stated NATO Deputy Secretary General of NATO Alexander Vershbow, reports Agence France Presse.

March 5 – In Luhansk oblast Ukrainian Armed Forces have withdrawn its rocket and artillery batteries according to Minsk agreements (including multiple rocket launcher systems BM-21 "Grad").

March 5 – RF President Volodymyr Putin wants to destroy NATO. This was stated by the Commander of U.S. Ground Forces in Europe, General-Lieutenant Ben Hodges, reports The Telegraph. "I am convinced that Putin wants to detroy our alliance, not by attacking it but by splitting it up," he noted. Hodges also commented that Russia may attempt to to destabilize one of the members of NATO by the use of partisans or other forms of 'hybrid war'. He also urged that American tanks be placed in countries along the eastern wing of NATO, in terms of stopping that factor for Putin. Specifically, according to Hodges, he proposed to place tanks in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Rumania, and Bulgaria.

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March 14: Fourth wave of mobilization is being implemented at an appropriate organizational level

March 14 – Ukrainian doctors were allowed to visit Nadiya Savchenko, a pilot, who is illegally imprisoned in Russia – Foreign Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin.

March 14 – During March 13th the militants in the ATO area have violated ceasefire 32 times; no Ukrainina military were killed, one was injured – NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko.

March 14 – The terrorists are trying to destabilize the situation in the areas of Donbas controlled by Ukrainians – NSDC spokesman Andriy Lysenko. They are seeking to force panic among civilians and "these actions are carried out by the militants who have infiltrated the liberated areas of Donbass and are provoking the residents and intimidation them by lying about the upcoming attacks by the ATO forces".

March 14 – Fourth wave of mobilization (compared to previous ones) is being implemented at an appropriate organizational level – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko – "very low rate of service refusal, good professionals skills of those mobilized, better material support of troops".

March 14 – Weapons from abroad are starting to arrive in Ukraine. Ukraine has signed contracts for the supply of lethal weapons from 11 EU countries, – said the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in an interview with 1+1 TV channel. Next week Ukraine will receive 30 armoured HAMMERs, – said the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko during his meeting with volunteers on March 14th. Earlier in February, the Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council Oleksandr Turchynov has stated that 20 Saxonarmoured personnel carriers (British) have already arrived in Ukraine and another 55 are expected to arrive soon.

March 14 – "The process which started exactly a year ago in Minsk should not in any way create any illusions in anyone that the threat of war has disappeared or diminioshed. The situation demands clear and coordinated actions, which will sharply increase the defense possibilities of the Armed Forces, the possibilities of defending our country," said President Petro Poroshenko. During this, he also emphasized the importance of building an effective line of protection. "In taking into account our experience, the best examples of projects of fortification structures, dugout shelters, the location of strong points, we should build in the shortest time, a highly effective, deeply defensive position," underlined Poroshenko. According to him, every region should join in building fortifications "Every region has to make its most possible contribution to the fortification work, if we do not want to meet the enemy on the borders of our own cities," stressed the President.

Also he emphasized that every region will be fortified by its part of the work, and will be responsible for its timeline and quality.

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