Just a day after Ukrainian volunteer soldiers left a local water plant, nearby cities are starting to experience water shortages, according to Russian language news account.
On Friday, members of the Ukrainian volunteer regiment "Azov" took over the water filtration plant in eastern Avdievka. The plant has been under Ukrainian artillery fire for three days before with some rounds even hitting the building plant itself. Last Thursday, water plant personnel left the plant because of the artillery fire.
The water plant has held a unique status since the start of the war 30 months ago. An agreement between the two warring sides left the plant and its operation intact. Some of that changed last year when Ukrainian forces moved forces into a gray zone -- where neither side's forces were allowed -- effectively cutting off the main road between Donetsk and Gorlovka, which is north of the area of the plant's location. That move effectively put the plant much closer to the Ukrainian side.
A news release by the Donetsk ministry of defense said that Ukrainian forces continued to reinforce areas near to the plant, despite the Ukrainians' exit..
When the Ukrainian forces began their occupation of the plant, according to rebel media, they brought a mortar team with them and began shelling Yasinovataya, which is east of the main road between Donetsk and Gorlovka. The rebels charged that the Ukrainian plan was to make an artillery fire point that the rebel would not hit. Destroying the water plant with artillery would deny water to people and villages on both sides of the line of contact.
On Sunday, rebel forces hit a nearby pumping station with artillery and with artillery delivered mines, according to Ukrainian Russian language news accounts. That attack threatens to leave parts of Avdievka, which is Ukrainian occupied, with only two days of water left. And with the mines on the ground, special measures will have to be taken to ensure the safety of repair crews.
Since Sunday, two Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and five more have been wounded, according to a news account in lb.ua.
On Sunday, rebel forces hit areas near Mariupol with mortar fire, including Vodyanoye, Mainka and Shirokino. Near Donetsk, rebel mortar fire was reported near Avdievka, Luganskoye and Kamenka. Rebel tank gun fire (125mm) was reported at Peski and the Butkova mone.
On Monday, according to a news report in lb.ua, rebel mortar fire hit areas near Mariupol including at Vodyanoye, Novotroitskoye and Pavlopol. rebel mortar fire was reproted at villages near Donetsk including at Troiskoye, Novoluganskoye, Opytnoye, Avdievka, Shakhta Butovka, Luganskoye and Vodyanoye.
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