3 Ukrainians die in attack on rebel positions in Lugansk

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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.