For a map, click here. You can enlarge the map, if you open it separately.
By Chris Covert
Two attacks took place in northern Donetsk and Lugansk, one of them after the Ukrainian takeover of the villages of Gladosovo and Travnevoe on the night of November 21st to 22nd, which was a major gunfight and the largest in recent memory.
Going by rebel accounts in the Russian sponsored Russkaya Vesna and from other Ukrainian news reports, rebel commanders decided to act on new information about a new offensive Ukraine had planned by sending a tactical team deep into Lugansk to intercept a Ukrainian force which was heading to Gladosovo and other areas considered to be a gray area which neither side were occupying at the time.
The encounter, by every measure, was an ambush of a company size element, which cost the Ukrainians five dead and more than 10 wounded.
Information carelessly leaked on the Ukrainian ministry of defense website showed that the Ukrainian general staff intended to send a composite rifle company into the area, consisting of elements of the Ukrainian 54th Motorized Rifle Brigade, units from the Ukrainian volunteer unit, the 24th "Aydar" Battalion and an artillery unit from the Georgian 128th Separate Mountain Infantry Brigade.
According to a Live Journal post, Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin noted that the 128th Brigade had participated in the battles south of Gorlovka at Yasinovataya in March, 2016. That attack was the one that cut off the only hard surface road between Donetsk city and Gorlovka. Gorlovka at the time was suffering daily nocturnal artillery attacks from the Ukrainians.
The 2nd engagement, which Ukrainian national officials claim was an unauthorized military mission, took place in Lugansk, along a contested road commonly known as the Bahkmuta, a colloquial name for highway P66.
Russian writer Anton Orlovsky detailed the fight at Frunze:
The advanced party, moving under the cover of night and snowy weather on the night of November 23rd, ran into a minefield, which killed three and wounded five others. The Ukrainian site commander called for mortar and heavy machine gun fire to cover their retreat.
The only prisoner, wounded and left behind, was captured by the rebels. Jr. Sergeant Roman Furstev told the rebels that commander of 3rd Company, Ukrainian 58th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, identified as Senior Lieutenant Danilko had been convinced that the rebel position at Frunze was occupied by only two pickets, and no heavy weapons, and that taking the position would be "easy."
Yuri Biryukov, adviser to Ukrainian president Piotr Poroshenko, was quoted, saying that Sr. Lt. Danilko had read about the prior day's operation north of Gorlovka, and wanted to seize some glory for himself.
The report, which appeared in Russkaya Vesna indicated that the size of the attacking force was seven to 10 effectives. The report also indicated that the brigade's 3rd Company was staffed mainly with former members of the notorious Ukrainian volunteer unit, the "Donbass" Battalion.
Sgt. Furstev told the rebels that he was in change of a detachment of heavy and medium machine guns with orders that once the position was captured, his detachment would cover the Ukrainian further advance into rebel territory with machine gun fire.
According to a story which appeared in the Ukrainian versti-Ukr.com, one of the leaders of the probe died in the minefield. It is unclear in reports if the dead was Sr. Lt. Danilko
Russian military correspondent for Komsomol Pravda, Aleksandr Kots wrote that rebel commanders consider the new situation similar to Debaltsevo two years ago. Ukrainian artillery had increased the intensity of its fire against rebel positions in Golrovka. Rebel commanders consider the position the Ukrainians had made for themselves similar to Debaltsevo because then, as now, the only solution for the rebels to reduce the amount of artillery fire on their positions was to attack and eliminate the Ukrainian positions.
Kots' report served as a warning about the actions rebels had taken in the past. The villages Gladosovo and Travnevoe, said rebel military officials, are part of the cauldron similar to the cauldron the rebels reduced in Debaltsevo. Kots also said that the position the Ukrainians placed themselves in was similar to Shirokino, the southern Donetsk village fought over until the villages itself became tactically worthless by virtue of its sheer destruction.
The rebels abandoned Shirokino in late 2015.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraine by clicking here and here.
The journalism of Chris Covert
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Monday, November 27, 2017
Ukraine's attack plans were posted on Ukraine's defense website
For a map, click here. You can enlarge the map, if you open it separately.
By Chris Covert
The ill-advised attack by Ukrainian forces at Frunze November 23rd is receiving sharp criticism, including from some Ukrainian officials, according to Ukrainian and Russian language news reports
The nocturnal attack cost the Ukrainian 58th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade three men killed in action, four wounded and one captured.
According to information provided by official rebel accounts at the website of the Donetsk ministry of defense, the November 23rd attack and one that took place just prior, north of Gorlovka was a part of military plans revealed accidentally on a Ukrainian ministry of defense website.
According to defense spokesman for the Donetsk breakaway republic, details of ambitious plans by the Ukrainian staff in Kiev were displayed after a meeting in Kiev between parts of the MoD, including defense chief General Viktor Muzenko, and the affected maneuver brigade commanders. The meeting took place the week before.
Donetsk rebel spokesman Lt. Colonel Eduard Basurin said in a November 26th press release, that plans for renewed offensive action by the Ukrainians centered around the Svetodarsk arc region just north of Debaltsevo in eastern Donetsk/far western Lugansk. Part of the presentation included a number of printed cards to describe the Ukrainians plans, according to Col. Basurin. That data was promptly displayed on a Ukrainian ministry of defense page, which pro Ukrainian activists noticed and announced on social media.
Basurin said that by the time the error was discovered, the Ukrainian probe into Frunze was tipped off. The day before, the Ukrainian advance into Gladosovo and Travnevoye, which is west of the Svetodarsk arc, took elements of the Ukrainian 54th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade into an area Basurin claimed gave Ukrainian forces "no tactical advantage", due to it being surrounded by heights. The volunteer 24th "Aydar" Battalion also took part in the capturing of the villages.
The Svetodarsk region, which is primarily a road between Artemovsk surrounded by lakes, north of the Svetodarsk arc -- and a main logistics hub for the Ukrainians in the region -- and Debaltsevo, has been a severe issue between the fighting forces since the fall of Debaltsevo in February, 2015. The month long battle was extremely bloody for both sides, including the rebels who captured the town.
Since early 2015, Ukrainians attempted to mount two major attacks meant to break the line of dug in rebel troops in front of Logvinovo. Logvinovo is the only settlement of any size on the highway between Artemovsk and Debaltsevo. The attacks were costly for the Ukrainians. The rebels have yet to reveal the extent of their losses.
Col. Basurin pointed out in another news release that the failure of the Frunze attack could be laid solely at General Muzenko's feet.
Now, according to a separate news account in Vesti-ukr.com, the attack on Frunze is being characterized as "unauthorized", which could be true, since Col. Basurin hasten to add in another account that responsibility for the failed attack was not on the newly appointed Ukrainian commander in the region, Lt. General Mykhailo Zabrodsky.
According to the vesti-ukr.com account, adviser to Ukrainian president Piotr Poroshenko, Yury Biryukov said the attack was undertaken by unidentified officers within the staff of the 58th Motorized Rifle Brigade, who were "seeking glory."
Lugansk
Rebels and Ukrainian media said that both sides exchanged artillery fire in Lugansk.
Ukrainian media said that the rebels fired 82mm mortar fire into Krymskoye on Sunday.
Rebels said that Ukrainian forces fired 82mm and 120mm mortar fire on towns south and east of the Svetodarsk region, including at Kalinovka, Kalinovo, Logvinovo and Slavyanoserbsk.
Donetsk
On Monday, Ukrainian media reported exchanges of gunfire in southern Donetsk, at Vodnovo and Gnutovo. Near Donetsk city, rebels fired on Ukrainian positions at Avdievka.
On Sunday, according to a news report in gorlovka-pravda.dn.ua, a residential building in Zaitsevo was destroyed by fire after it was hit by Ukrainian artillery fire.
Also on Sunday, the Donetsk ministry of defense website said that two more buildings in Dokuchaevsk were damaged from Ukrainian direct fire from infantry fighting vehicles and from heavy machine guns.
By Chris Covert
The ill-advised attack by Ukrainian forces at Frunze November 23rd is receiving sharp criticism, including from some Ukrainian officials, according to Ukrainian and Russian language news reports
The nocturnal attack cost the Ukrainian 58th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade three men killed in action, four wounded and one captured.
According to information provided by official rebel accounts at the website of the Donetsk ministry of defense, the November 23rd attack and one that took place just prior, north of Gorlovka was a part of military plans revealed accidentally on a Ukrainian ministry of defense website.
According to defense spokesman for the Donetsk breakaway republic, details of ambitious plans by the Ukrainian staff in Kiev were displayed after a meeting in Kiev between parts of the MoD, including defense chief General Viktor Muzenko, and the affected maneuver brigade commanders. The meeting took place the week before.
Donetsk rebel spokesman Lt. Colonel Eduard Basurin said in a November 26th press release, that plans for renewed offensive action by the Ukrainians centered around the Svetodarsk arc region just north of Debaltsevo in eastern Donetsk/far western Lugansk. Part of the presentation included a number of printed cards to describe the Ukrainians plans, according to Col. Basurin. That data was promptly displayed on a Ukrainian ministry of defense page, which pro Ukrainian activists noticed and announced on social media.
Basurin said that by the time the error was discovered, the Ukrainian probe into Frunze was tipped off. The day before, the Ukrainian advance into Gladosovo and Travnevoye, which is west of the Svetodarsk arc, took elements of the Ukrainian 54th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade into an area Basurin claimed gave Ukrainian forces "no tactical advantage", due to it being surrounded by heights. The volunteer 24th "Aydar" Battalion also took part in the capturing of the villages.
The Svetodarsk region, which is primarily a road between Artemovsk surrounded by lakes, north of the Svetodarsk arc -- and a main logistics hub for the Ukrainians in the region -- and Debaltsevo, has been a severe issue between the fighting forces since the fall of Debaltsevo in February, 2015. The month long battle was extremely bloody for both sides, including the rebels who captured the town.
Since early 2015, Ukrainians attempted to mount two major attacks meant to break the line of dug in rebel troops in front of Logvinovo. Logvinovo is the only settlement of any size on the highway between Artemovsk and Debaltsevo. The attacks were costly for the Ukrainians. The rebels have yet to reveal the extent of their losses.
Col. Basurin pointed out in another news release that the failure of the Frunze attack could be laid solely at General Muzenko's feet.
Now, according to a separate news account in Vesti-ukr.com, the attack on Frunze is being characterized as "unauthorized", which could be true, since Col. Basurin hasten to add in another account that responsibility for the failed attack was not on the newly appointed Ukrainian commander in the region, Lt. General Mykhailo Zabrodsky.
According to the vesti-ukr.com account, adviser to Ukrainian president Piotr Poroshenko, Yury Biryukov said the attack was undertaken by unidentified officers within the staff of the 58th Motorized Rifle Brigade, who were "seeking glory."
Lugansk
Rebels and Ukrainian media said that both sides exchanged artillery fire in Lugansk.
Ukrainian media said that the rebels fired 82mm mortar fire into Krymskoye on Sunday.
Rebels said that Ukrainian forces fired 82mm and 120mm mortar fire on towns south and east of the Svetodarsk region, including at Kalinovka, Kalinovo, Logvinovo and Slavyanoserbsk.
Donetsk
On Monday, Ukrainian media reported exchanges of gunfire in southern Donetsk, at Vodnovo and Gnutovo. Near Donetsk city, rebels fired on Ukrainian positions at Avdievka.
On Sunday, according to a news report in gorlovka-pravda.dn.ua, a residential building in Zaitsevo was destroyed by fire after it was hit by Ukrainian artillery fire.
Also on Sunday, the Donetsk ministry of defense website said that two more buildings in Dokuchaevsk were damaged from Ukrainian direct fire from infantry fighting vehicles and from heavy machine guns.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraine by clicking here..
Saturday, November 25, 2017
More on the Ukrainian occupation of Gladosovo -- Correction
For a map, click here. You can enlarge the map, if you open it separately.
Correction: According to data supplied by rebel officials in Donetsk, the OSCE never appeared in Gladosovo.
By Chris Covert
Russian backed rebel forces claimed that the video released purporting to show Ukrainian soldiers passing out canned good to residents of Gladosovo was staged, according to Russian language new accounts.
Two days ago, on the night of November 22nd to November 23rd, elements of the Ukrainian 58th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade occupied the villages of Gladosovo and Travnevoye, both of which are close to the line of contact north of rebel held Gorlovka/Zaitsevo.
Both villages were considered to be in a gray zone, which neither side occupies. But due to a change in Ukrainian basic tactics since the spring of 2016, Ukrainian forces have been moving forces into those zones, actions which have shown to be so far, relatively cost free to the Ukrainians.
Ukrainian military media claimed that their forces north of Gorlovka/Zaitsevo took over several kilometers.
However, the latest rebel reports show that the Ukrainian hold on the newly acquired territory is tenuous at best.
According to a new article which appeared in Russian sponsored Russkaya Vesna new website, a Donetsk military film crew, covered by Donetsk special forces, managed to get within a kilometer of Gladosovo in daylight, and, from an uncovered height, took video footage purportedly showing Ukrainian forces digging in to the villages.
Rebel media claimed to have reports that the canned food filmed being passed out to residents in Gladosovo, were actually requisitioned from a local market, by elements of the 24th Aidar Battalion, part of the initial force entering Gladosovo.
According to a news account which appeared in lb.ua, the communications staff asked that volunteers refrain from commenting on social media data on Ukrainian troop deployments and activities. It has been said in rebel media in the last two days that rebel forces were able to quickly assemble backing forces for immediate deployment to the line of contact.
So far, not in any media has there been an indication that the newly redeployed rebel forces have had any involvement in the attack on Frunze in Lugansk and in the former gray areas north of Gorlovka. It is entirely possible that the newly activated rebel forces had shown to Ukraine military that subsequent plans, which rebel media claimed were in the works, would have to be scrapped.
Ukrainian media claim that Gladosovo and other locales had been denied access to food, gas and power had not been addressed by rebel media.
A recent news announcement from Donetsk Lt. Colonel Eduard Basurin, said that only one dirt road goes in to Gladosovo, and it is being constantly washed out by the weather.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraine by clicking here.
Correction: According to data supplied by rebel officials in Donetsk, the OSCE never appeared in Gladosovo.
By Chris Covert
Russian backed rebel forces claimed that the video released purporting to show Ukrainian soldiers passing out canned good to residents of Gladosovo was staged, according to Russian language new accounts.
Two days ago, on the night of November 22nd to November 23rd, elements of the Ukrainian 58th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade occupied the villages of Gladosovo and Travnevoye, both of which are close to the line of contact north of rebel held Gorlovka/Zaitsevo.
Both villages were considered to be in a gray zone, which neither side occupies. But due to a change in Ukrainian basic tactics since the spring of 2016, Ukrainian forces have been moving forces into those zones, actions which have shown to be so far, relatively cost free to the Ukrainians.
Ukrainian military media claimed that their forces north of Gorlovka/Zaitsevo took over several kilometers.
However, the latest rebel reports show that the Ukrainian hold on the newly acquired territory is tenuous at best.
According to a new article which appeared in Russian sponsored Russkaya Vesna new website, a Donetsk military film crew, covered by Donetsk special forces, managed to get within a kilometer of Gladosovo in daylight, and, from an uncovered height, took video footage purportedly showing Ukrainian forces digging in to the villages.
Rebel media claimed to have reports that the canned food filmed being passed out to residents in Gladosovo, were actually requisitioned from a local market, by elements of the 24th Aidar Battalion, part of the initial force entering Gladosovo.
According to a news account which appeared in lb.ua, the communications staff asked that volunteers refrain from commenting on social media data on Ukrainian troop deployments and activities. It has been said in rebel media in the last two days that rebel forces were able to quickly assemble backing forces for immediate deployment to the line of contact.
So far, not in any media has there been an indication that the newly redeployed rebel forces have had any involvement in the attack on Frunze in Lugansk and in the former gray areas north of Gorlovka. It is entirely possible that the newly activated rebel forces had shown to Ukraine military that subsequent plans, which rebel media claimed were in the works, would have to be scrapped.
Ukrainian media claim that Gladosovo and other locales had been denied access to food, gas and power had not been addressed by rebel media.
A recent news announcement from Donetsk Lt. Colonel Eduard Basurin, said that only one dirt road goes in to Gladosovo, and it is being constantly washed out by the weather.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraine by clicking here.
Rebels say the November 23rd attack in Frunze was just a start
For a map, click here. You can enlarge the map, if you open it separately.
According to data supplied by rebel officials in Donetsk, the OSCE never appeared in Gladosovo.
By Chris Covert
Russian backed rebels in Lugansk said Saturday that they suspect the Ukrainian forces will attempt further attacks similar to the attack on November 23rd, according to Russian language and Ukrainian news accounts.
According to the rebels' own briefing, which appeared on an official Lugansk rebel government website, the rebels found intelligence that the Ukrainian were preparing a number of probes into rebel positions across the P66 highway, which has been an issue between the two sides since early 2015.
According to Lugansk ministry of defense spokesman Lt. Colonel Andei Marochko, Ukrainian commanders were preparing to use night and winter weather to press their attacks.
Since 2016, Ukrainian commanders have changed their tactics to find and occupy gray zones between the two forces and then occupy them, and then reinforce them. The tactic seems to at first create a favorable tactical position, especially since rebel forces are dug in all long the line of contact, and must then either adjust to the new occupation, or change their own deployment strategy.
The day before the November 23rd attack on Frunze in far northern rebel held Lugansk, Ukrainian military spokesmen announced capturing of ground in a gray zone, according to a news account which appeared in the Ukrainian Russian language news outlet, korrespondent.net.
Rebel media only days before announced that Ukrainian forces occupied the village of Gladosovo, forcing residents by threat of arms to stay indoors. Ukrainian media said that the village of Travnevoye was taken as well. A video release on a private military channel showed very well equipped Ukrainian soldiers, passing out canned goods to civilian residents. The video also indicated that both villages are without power.
Donetsk rebel media said that some residents of Gladosovo were evicted, or were forced to quarter Ukrainian soldiers. Ukrainian military media has denied the charges.
According to a separate news account in korrespondent.net, Ukrainian plans were to occupy a much larger area north of Gorlovka, but those plans were trimmed when they were revealed on social media.
In a separate news release, Lt. Col. Marochko hinted that the attacks were intended to be diversionary attacks to keep rebel forces occupied as Ukrainian forces move into other territory. Ukrainians would stay aware of the rebels' reaction through the use of drones and other intelligence gathering techniques.
According to Russian military journalist, Boris Rozhin writing in his Live Journal blog, one part of the attack force was a straggler who sat out the night and then was captured by rebel patrols. A video was released showing the soldier in a rebel trench receiving first aide.
The soldier so far has been identified only as Roman, a Ukrainian intelligence officer, according to rebel reports. Rozhin said he will be in the next prisoner exchange, coming up soon.
The Lugansk rebel government has released photographs showing the aftermath of the encounter, some of them grisly displays.
Much of this increased activity can be attributed to the appointment of Lt. Gen. Mykhailo Zabrodsky to command Ukrainian military forces in southeastern Ukraine.
Lt. Gen. Mykhailo Zabrodsky has been a commander in the Ukrainian civil war since the very start, heading, among others, the Ukrainian 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade. Lt. Gen. Mykhailo Zabrodsky has trained at the US Army's command and staff school in Fort Leavenworth.
It is worth adding at this point that Lugansk and Donetsk military officials have been cooperating recently in sweeping areas in Lugansk and near the Donetsk border for sabotage groups which may have infiltrated into Lugansk. Donetsk has sent military units to aid former Lugansk president Igor Plotnitsky in the past.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraine by clicking here.
According to data supplied by rebel officials in Donetsk, the OSCE never appeared in Gladosovo.
By Chris Covert
Russian backed rebels in Lugansk said Saturday that they suspect the Ukrainian forces will attempt further attacks similar to the attack on November 23rd, according to Russian language and Ukrainian news accounts.
According to the rebels' own briefing, which appeared on an official Lugansk rebel government website, the rebels found intelligence that the Ukrainian were preparing a number of probes into rebel positions across the P66 highway, which has been an issue between the two sides since early 2015.
According to Lugansk ministry of defense spokesman Lt. Colonel Andei Marochko, Ukrainian commanders were preparing to use night and winter weather to press their attacks.
Since 2016, Ukrainian commanders have changed their tactics to find and occupy gray zones between the two forces and then occupy them, and then reinforce them. The tactic seems to at first create a favorable tactical position, especially since rebel forces are dug in all long the line of contact, and must then either adjust to the new occupation, or change their own deployment strategy.
The day before the November 23rd attack on Frunze in far northern rebel held Lugansk, Ukrainian military spokesmen announced capturing of ground in a gray zone, according to a news account which appeared in the Ukrainian Russian language news outlet, korrespondent.net.
Rebel media only days before announced that Ukrainian forces occupied the village of Gladosovo, forcing residents by threat of arms to stay indoors. Ukrainian media said that the village of Travnevoye was taken as well. A video release on a private military channel showed very well equipped Ukrainian soldiers, passing out canned goods to civilian residents. The video also indicated that both villages are without power.
Donetsk rebel media said that some residents of Gladosovo were evicted, or were forced to quarter Ukrainian soldiers. Ukrainian military media has denied the charges.
According to a separate news account in korrespondent.net, Ukrainian plans were to occupy a much larger area north of Gorlovka, but those plans were trimmed when they were revealed on social media.
In a separate news release, Lt. Col. Marochko hinted that the attacks were intended to be diversionary attacks to keep rebel forces occupied as Ukrainian forces move into other territory. Ukrainians would stay aware of the rebels' reaction through the use of drones and other intelligence gathering techniques.
According to Russian military journalist, Boris Rozhin writing in his Live Journal blog, one part of the attack force was a straggler who sat out the night and then was captured by rebel patrols. A video was released showing the soldier in a rebel trench receiving first aide.
The soldier so far has been identified only as Roman, a Ukrainian intelligence officer, according to rebel reports. Rozhin said he will be in the next prisoner exchange, coming up soon.
The Lugansk rebel government has released photographs showing the aftermath of the encounter, some of them grisly displays.
Much of this increased activity can be attributed to the appointment of Lt. Gen. Mykhailo Zabrodsky to command Ukrainian military forces in southeastern Ukraine.
Lt. Gen. Mykhailo Zabrodsky has been a commander in the Ukrainian civil war since the very start, heading, among others, the Ukrainian 95th Separate Airmobile Brigade. Lt. Gen. Mykhailo Zabrodsky has trained at the US Army's command and staff school in Fort Leavenworth.
It is worth adding at this point that Lugansk and Donetsk military officials have been cooperating recently in sweeping areas in Lugansk and near the Donetsk border for sabotage groups which may have infiltrated into Lugansk. Donetsk has sent military units to aid former Lugansk president Igor Plotnitsky in the past.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraine by clicking here.
Friday, November 24, 2017
3 Ukrainians die in attack on rebel positions in Lugansk
For a map, click here. You can enlarge the map, if you open it separately.
According to Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin, in his Live Journal blog and quoting Lugansk rebel Lt. Colonel Markov, three Ukrainian soldiers were killed. Story updated. Also, the rebels did take at least one prisoner. The sources I used did not mention prisoners.
By Chris Covert
A total of three and as many as eight Ukrainian soldiers were killed in an attempt to attack Russian backed rebels positions in northeastern Lugansk, according to a variety of Russian and Ukrainian language news reports.
According to an official statement posted on the Lugansk government website, a total of 15 effectives, two small squads from the Ukrainian 58th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, attempted to infiltrate south from their base at Krymsk towards the settlement of Frunze.
Their action would have required them to cross Highway P66, which has been contested since the winter of 2015.
According to the report, the probe ran into a minefield, where three Ukrainian soldiers died and another four were wounded. When the tactical commander decided to withdraw, an attack using mortars and heavy machine guns was initiated to cover their retreat.
The Russian sponsored website, Russkaya Vesna, quoting battalion commander Alexei Markov, reported that the probe made it as far as the northern verge of P66 when it hit the minefield. Markov also was quoted in the Russkaya Vesna article saying the engagement ranges were about 40 meters.
The Russkaya Vesna report quoted Markov saying that a total of four Ukrainians were killed and another three were wounded in the attack. Rebel forces reported two wounded.
Alexei Markov is commander of the "Ghost Battalion", which area of responsibility includes defense of P66. The "Ghost Battalion" is headquartered at Stakhanov-Alchevsk.
A newer report from the official Lugansk website said that the Ukrainians continue firing weapons in the direction of Frunze, Kalinovka, and at Zheloye using the main guns of BMP-2s, 120mm and 82mm mortars, RPGs and grenade launchers.
According to the Russian language Ukraine news website, lb.ua, a total of five Ukrainian soldiers were killed and four were wounded in the encounter. The report said that the fighting went on for eight hours, presumably through the night.
In southeastern Ukraine the weather is cold and snowy.
Donetsk
According to a Friday morning report which appeared on the official government website of Donetsk, Dokuchaevsk was hit again by Ukrainian artillery. A residential building was damaged in the Thursday mid afternoon attack.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraine by clicking here.
According to Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin, in his Live Journal blog and quoting Lugansk rebel Lt. Colonel Markov, three Ukrainian soldiers were killed. Story updated. Also, the rebels did take at least one prisoner. The sources I used did not mention prisoners.
By Chris Covert
A total of three and as many as eight Ukrainian soldiers were killed in an attempt to attack Russian backed rebels positions in northeastern Lugansk, according to a variety of Russian and Ukrainian language news reports.
According to an official statement posted on the Lugansk government website, a total of 15 effectives, two small squads from the Ukrainian 58th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, attempted to infiltrate south from their base at Krymsk towards the settlement of Frunze.
Their action would have required them to cross Highway P66, which has been contested since the winter of 2015.
According to the report, the probe ran into a minefield, where three Ukrainian soldiers died and another four were wounded. When the tactical commander decided to withdraw, an attack using mortars and heavy machine guns was initiated to cover their retreat.
The Russian sponsored website, Russkaya Vesna, quoting battalion commander Alexei Markov, reported that the probe made it as far as the northern verge of P66 when it hit the minefield. Markov also was quoted in the Russkaya Vesna article saying the engagement ranges were about 40 meters.
The Russkaya Vesna report quoted Markov saying that a total of four Ukrainians were killed and another three were wounded in the attack. Rebel forces reported two wounded.
Alexei Markov is commander of the "Ghost Battalion", which area of responsibility includes defense of P66. The "Ghost Battalion" is headquartered at Stakhanov-Alchevsk.
A newer report from the official Lugansk website said that the Ukrainians continue firing weapons in the direction of Frunze, Kalinovka, and at Zheloye using the main guns of BMP-2s, 120mm and 82mm mortars, RPGs and grenade launchers.
According to the Russian language Ukraine news website, lb.ua, a total of five Ukrainian soldiers were killed and four were wounded in the encounter. The report said that the fighting went on for eight hours, presumably through the night.
In southeastern Ukraine the weather is cold and snowy.
Donetsk
According to a Friday morning report which appeared on the official government website of Donetsk, Dokuchaevsk was hit again by Ukrainian artillery. A residential building was damaged in the Thursday mid afternoon attack.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraine by clicking here.
Thursday, November 23, 2017
Igor Plotnitsky flees to Russia
By Chris Covert
Igor Plotnitsky, former president of the breakaway republic of Lugansk, left his capital on Thursday, according to Russian and Ukrainian news accounts.
Plotnitsky's forced departure from Lugansk and Ukraine comes after a tumultuous three and a half year term as president, which saw him weather charges of murdering some of his formation commanders, and a car bomb attack against him last summer.
According to a news item which appeared in novorosinform.org, Plotnitsky left Lugansk city with a motorcade which included his personal security detail. He was allowed entry at the Izvarino Border Control Point. His security detail were not allowed to enter Russia with him, and were forced to return to Lugansk.
As a matter of disclosure, novorosinform.org is a product of former reserve FSB Colonel Igor Girkin, the Russian operative which aided in starting the rebellion that took over Lugansk and Donetsk in early 2014. Colonel Girkin said a few years back in a radio interview in St. Petersburg, that he was primarily responsible for the takeover of Crimea.
The most immediate cause for Plotnitsky's departure was when he fired the head of the Lugansk Ministry for State Security, Igor Cornet, on November 20th. Cornet refused to go.
The issue between the two appeared to be Plotnitsky's charge of a coup, which emerged just before the bombing attack on him in early August. Since that time, two more incidents took place, relative to the problems Plotnitsky was having.
The first was the murder of two Lugansk People's Republic deputies for the People's Council, a legislative body for Lugansk.
Anatoly Krivonosov and Inna Kuznetsova, a married couple, were found murdered on the night of 26 to 27 August, 2017 in a house in the Kamennobrodsky district of Lugansk. Both were fighters in the early days of the rebellion. Krivonosov was formerly commander of the Dawn battalion. At one point in 2014 during the fighting, Plotnitsky held that post as well.
Almost three weeks later came the news from a leaked transcript of comments from a closed session of the Duma by Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozakin. The transcript indicated that Russia was considering reducing its financial support of the two breakaway republics, Donetsk and Lugansk. According to a regnum.ru article, which first reported the remarks, money being used to support the two republics would be shifted to two other projects.
The first project was an infrastructure improvements for Kaliningrad, to include money to build a new ferry, and money for fiber optic cable for the region.
The second was monies for unspecified projects in the recently annexed Crimea.
According to data supplied by the Russian sponsored news website, Russkaya Vesna (Russian Spring), two days after Cornet's refusal to leave the MVD, Cornet issued a report that Plotnitsky's charges of a coup against his government contained elements that were falsified.
The two alleged leaders of the coup, Vitaly Kiselyov and Gennady Tsypkalov were detained at the time in late fall of 2016 on charges of fomenting the attack on Plotnitsky's government. Tsypkalov was allegedly tortured to death of unidentified persons working for Plotnistky, probably from the same Ministry of State Security headed by Cornet.
The report specifically named Lugansk Attorney General Aleksey Oleinik, and were confirmed by the head of investigations in the Lugansk attorney general's office, Leonid Tkachenko, effectively implicating Tkachenko in charges of falsifying criminal charges.
The issues of falsification of charges came from a statement made by Alexander Semenchenko, who was formerly an employee with the Lugansk prosecutor's office. A current official in Plotnistky's government, Minister of Agriculture Ruslan Sorokovenko, had previously uncovered misconduct within Plotnitsky's government, especially the Attorney General office, in what has been described a "grave crimes", a Russian euphemism for murder.
Among the many problems Plotitsky had was his ability to say the right things in public, and his drive to trade with the Ukrainians. Many of his problems with his, now dead, formation commanders was their grumbling that Plotnitsky was trading coal and grains to the Ukrainians for cash. Most of the commanders in Lugansk were ethnic Cossack and nearly all but a few are now dead. Plotnitsky and his government disclaim their responsibility for those deaths.
Although Plotnitsky stated on more than one occasion his desire to return Lugansk to Russian control, a news story was leaked this month, probably a planted story, that he was open to returning Lugansk to Ukrainian control.
As for the troops on the streets of the capitol of Lugansk, according to Camopedia, their camouflage pattern suggests they are Lugansk MVD, although Russian MVD troops have been known to use the pattern as well. Their AK-74s appear to be well worn suggesting they were reissued from Russian government stocks some time ago.
Chris Covert writes Eastern European/Russian military news. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com
Igor Plotnitsky, former president of the breakaway republic of Lugansk, left his capital on Thursday, according to Russian and Ukrainian news accounts.
Plotnitsky's forced departure from Lugansk and Ukraine comes after a tumultuous three and a half year term as president, which saw him weather charges of murdering some of his formation commanders, and a car bomb attack against him last summer.
According to a news item which appeared in novorosinform.org, Plotnitsky left Lugansk city with a motorcade which included his personal security detail. He was allowed entry at the Izvarino Border Control Point. His security detail were not allowed to enter Russia with him, and were forced to return to Lugansk.
As a matter of disclosure, novorosinform.org is a product of former reserve FSB Colonel Igor Girkin, the Russian operative which aided in starting the rebellion that took over Lugansk and Donetsk in early 2014. Colonel Girkin said a few years back in a radio interview in St. Petersburg, that he was primarily responsible for the takeover of Crimea.
The most immediate cause for Plotnitsky's departure was when he fired the head of the Lugansk Ministry for State Security, Igor Cornet, on November 20th. Cornet refused to go.
The issue between the two appeared to be Plotnitsky's charge of a coup, which emerged just before the bombing attack on him in early August. Since that time, two more incidents took place, relative to the problems Plotnitsky was having.
The first was the murder of two Lugansk People's Republic deputies for the People's Council, a legislative body for Lugansk.
Anatoly Krivonosov and Inna Kuznetsova, a married couple, were found murdered on the night of 26 to 27 August, 2017 in a house in the Kamennobrodsky district of Lugansk. Both were fighters in the early days of the rebellion. Krivonosov was formerly commander of the Dawn battalion. At one point in 2014 during the fighting, Plotnitsky held that post as well.
Almost three weeks later came the news from a leaked transcript of comments from a closed session of the Duma by Russian deputy prime minister Dmitry Kozakin. The transcript indicated that Russia was considering reducing its financial support of the two breakaway republics, Donetsk and Lugansk. According to a regnum.ru article, which first reported the remarks, money being used to support the two republics would be shifted to two other projects.
The first project was an infrastructure improvements for Kaliningrad, to include money to build a new ferry, and money for fiber optic cable for the region.
The second was monies for unspecified projects in the recently annexed Crimea.
According to data supplied by the Russian sponsored news website, Russkaya Vesna (Russian Spring), two days after Cornet's refusal to leave the MVD, Cornet issued a report that Plotnitsky's charges of a coup against his government contained elements that were falsified.
The two alleged leaders of the coup, Vitaly Kiselyov and Gennady Tsypkalov were detained at the time in late fall of 2016 on charges of fomenting the attack on Plotnitsky's government. Tsypkalov was allegedly tortured to death of unidentified persons working for Plotnistky, probably from the same Ministry of State Security headed by Cornet.
The report specifically named Lugansk Attorney General Aleksey Oleinik, and were confirmed by the head of investigations in the Lugansk attorney general's office, Leonid Tkachenko, effectively implicating Tkachenko in charges of falsifying criminal charges.
The issues of falsification of charges came from a statement made by Alexander Semenchenko, who was formerly an employee with the Lugansk prosecutor's office. A current official in Plotnistky's government, Minister of Agriculture Ruslan Sorokovenko, had previously uncovered misconduct within Plotnitsky's government, especially the Attorney General office, in what has been described a "grave crimes", a Russian euphemism for murder.
Among the many problems Plotitsky had was his ability to say the right things in public, and his drive to trade with the Ukrainians. Many of his problems with his, now dead, formation commanders was their grumbling that Plotnitsky was trading coal and grains to the Ukrainians for cash. Most of the commanders in Lugansk were ethnic Cossack and nearly all but a few are now dead. Plotnitsky and his government disclaim their responsibility for those deaths.
Although Plotnitsky stated on more than one occasion his desire to return Lugansk to Russian control, a news story was leaked this month, probably a planted story, that he was open to returning Lugansk to Ukrainian control.
As for the troops on the streets of the capitol of Lugansk, according to Camopedia, their camouflage pattern suggests they are Lugansk MVD, although Russian MVD troops have been known to use the pattern as well. Their AK-74s appear to be well worn suggesting they were reissued from Russian government stocks some time ago.
Chris Covert writes Eastern European/Russian military news. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
Ukrainian forces captures village in northeastern Donetsk
Ukrainian forces captured a village just three kilometers from the line of contact in northeastern Donetsk, according to an official statement from the Donetsk military leadership.
Gladosovo was captured by elements of the Ukrainian 54th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and a smaller element of the Aidar volunteer battalion, according to the statement.
The Ukrainian coup is of some importance because it represents another small cost free incursion into rebel held territory. It is a familiar Ukrainian pattern to move forces into a gray zone, which neither force occupies. Gladosovo is just 2 kilometers northeast of the village of Zaistevo, itself under siege and Ukrainian artillery fire since two years ago. Zaistevo itself is directly adjacent to the larger town of Gorlovka.
A previous Ukrainian operation in the spring of 2015, the first of its kind, allowed Ukrainian forces to bring the only hard road that connects Gorlovka to the capital city of Donetsk under observation of Ukrainian artillery spotters. That action forced changes in how civilian traffic was allowed to move between the locales.
Several small scale direct and indirect fire engagements between the two combatants have taken place since then, most notably the artillery dual, that for a time knocked out water service to both sides of the line of contact.
According to the Donetsk statement, when Ukrainian forces entered the village on the night of November 21st to November 22nd, all the residents were ordered to stay indoors under the threat of force.
The statement also said the Ukrainian mortars were deployed to the village and the area around the village was being mined.
At the moment, little media from the Ukrainian side has addressed the operation.
Since two weeks before the Gladosovo operation, larger artillery exchanges have taken place around the western Donetsk town of Dokuchaevsk, which is south of Donetsk. It is unclear in official and private reports exactly why this specific area is subject to increased artillery fire.
The most recent reports from the Ukrainian side say that the usual point are involved in attack from the rebels, such as Avdievka and Zaistevo, and further south near the Sea of Azov in Pavlopol and Vodanoye.
Donetsk military officials say that Dokuchaevsk has been under Ukrainian artillery fire for more than two weeks, and in that time 17 structures were damaged. The rebels also showed a damaged Ukrainian drone shot down over Dokuchaevsk, which the rebel claim has been used to adjust artillery fire.
Spokesman for the Donetsk ministry of defense said that the drone belonged to the Ukrainian 28th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade.
<strong>Lugansk</strong>
Ukrainian military media said that Ukrainian units came under fire from a variety of military weapons and vehicles.
Ukrainian positions were hit by rebel IFVs. 120mm and 82mm mortar fire, and from heavy infantry weapons. Rebel mortars were reported hit Ukrainian position in Novoaleksandrovka and Luganskoye.
IFV fire was recorded hitting Ukrainian positions at Stanitsa Luganskaya, Svetlodarsk arc, Novotoshkovskoye, Krymskoye, Novolugansk and Boguslavskoye.
Gladosovo was captured by elements of the Ukrainian 54th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and a smaller element of the Aidar volunteer battalion, according to the statement.
The Ukrainian coup is of some importance because it represents another small cost free incursion into rebel held territory. It is a familiar Ukrainian pattern to move forces into a gray zone, which neither force occupies. Gladosovo is just 2 kilometers northeast of the village of Zaistevo, itself under siege and Ukrainian artillery fire since two years ago. Zaistevo itself is directly adjacent to the larger town of Gorlovka.
A previous Ukrainian operation in the spring of 2015, the first of its kind, allowed Ukrainian forces to bring the only hard road that connects Gorlovka to the capital city of Donetsk under observation of Ukrainian artillery spotters. That action forced changes in how civilian traffic was allowed to move between the locales.
Several small scale direct and indirect fire engagements between the two combatants have taken place since then, most notably the artillery dual, that for a time knocked out water service to both sides of the line of contact.
According to the Donetsk statement, when Ukrainian forces entered the village on the night of November 21st to November 22nd, all the residents were ordered to stay indoors under the threat of force.
The statement also said the Ukrainian mortars were deployed to the village and the area around the village was being mined.
At the moment, little media from the Ukrainian side has addressed the operation.
Since two weeks before the Gladosovo operation, larger artillery exchanges have taken place around the western Donetsk town of Dokuchaevsk, which is south of Donetsk. It is unclear in official and private reports exactly why this specific area is subject to increased artillery fire.
The most recent reports from the Ukrainian side say that the usual point are involved in attack from the rebels, such as Avdievka and Zaistevo, and further south near the Sea of Azov in Pavlopol and Vodanoye.
Donetsk military officials say that Dokuchaevsk has been under Ukrainian artillery fire for more than two weeks, and in that time 17 structures were damaged. The rebels also showed a damaged Ukrainian drone shot down over Dokuchaevsk, which the rebel claim has been used to adjust artillery fire.
Spokesman for the Donetsk ministry of defense said that the drone belonged to the Ukrainian 28th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade.
<strong>Lugansk</strong>
Ukrainian military media said that Ukrainian units came under fire from a variety of military weapons and vehicles.
Ukrainian positions were hit by rebel IFVs. 120mm and 82mm mortar fire, and from heavy infantry weapons. Rebel mortars were reported hit Ukrainian position in Novoaleksandrovka and Luganskoye.
IFV fire was recorded hitting Ukrainian positions at Stanitsa Luganskaya, Svetlodarsk arc, Novotoshkovskoye, Krymskoye, Novolugansk and Boguslavskoye.
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