Free Fire Zone

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Rebels and Ukrainian forces both claim four dead each as losses mount and ongoing shelling and probes continue, according to Russian language news reports.

According to a news release by the rebel Donetsk ministry of defense four rebel soldiers were killed in the past week.  The news release failed to note where the soldiers were killed, but it is known that most of the fighting in Donetsk is taking place as Dokuchaevsk, Avdievka, near Gorlovka and near the Svetodarsk arc in Lugansk.

Last week rebel media claimed that losses from the Ukrainian occupation of Gladosovo and Travenoye were so heavy that Ukrainian forces were forced to withdraw.  At first, informal accounts by militiamen for the rebels, posted at retired reserve FSB Colonel Igor Girkin' VKontackte page, indicated that rebel forces had ringed the outskirts of Gladodovo and Travenoye with snipers, causing as many as ten dead in a 24 hour period.

Parts of the Ukrainian 54th Motorized Rifle brigade and the volunteer 24th "Aydar" battalion, along wiht a small artillery unit now occupied Gladosovo

Official rebel media later claimed the Ukrainian forces had not withdrawn, but instead had suffered losses due to friendly fire.  

A week later, it appears that Ukrainian forces have withdrawn some forces, it is reported, with one tactical commander refusing to move due to intense rebel fire.

According to a post on the website of the Russian sponsored Russkaya Vesna, Ukrainian losses have increased to 17 dead and nine wounded.  It is unclear in the reports if the counts are cumulative, or are since the last week.

The Ukrainian Russian language news outlet said that rebel forces continue to pound Ukrainian positions at Travnevoy, Vodanoye, which is in southern Donetsk and at Avdievka near Donetsk city, using a variety of heavy weapons including 120mm mortars.

Rebel media now claim that the  takeover of Gladosovo is part of the Ukrainian general staff's plan to reinforce their positions to prepare for another mini offensive.

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