For a map, click here.
By Chris Covert
Ukrainian official sources claimed that on Monday, rebel rocket artillery hit a Ukrainian held location in northern Donetsk, damaging more than 100 buildings and wounding eight civilians, according to Russian language news accounts.
Official rebel media denied the reports.
Meanwhile, official rebel media said that a massive Ukrainian artillery attack hit Pervomaisk, Kalinovo and Stakhanov in northern rebel held areas of Lugansk.
According to a news account posted in lb.ua, rebel rocket artillery began firing from near Zaistevo, northeast to Novolugansk at around 1700 hrs Monday, Moscow time. The attack damaged a power station, gas lines and residential structures.
Novolugansk is on the west side of the main road leading from Bakhmut (formerly Artemovsk) to rebel held Debaltsevo, part of an area known as the Svetlodarsk arc.
According to a statement released Monday by Donetsk ministry of defense spokesman Colonel Eduard Basurin, Ukrainian forces, specifically the artillery detachments of the Ukrainian 54th Separate Mechanized Rifle Brigade and the 128th Separate Mountain Rifle Brigade, hit Novolugansk with rocket artillery originating from Ukrainian held areas north of Zaistevo/Gorlovka.
Both Ukrainian units were the units that sent troops in to capture a pair of villages just north of Zaistevo, in Gladosovo and Travnevoye, a few weeks ago.
The statement said that rebel troops are close to, but not in Novolugansk, so it is possible that the artillery fire was directed at rebel troops but fell short. If so, it would not be the first time in this three year old war that Ukrainian artillery units have fired shorts.
Use of rocket artillery has been forbidden since the middle of 2015, when both sides agreed to withdraw all large bore weapons from the front line. That said, the rocket artillery platform most commonly used by both sides, the 122mm BM-21 has a range out to 45 kilometers, depending on the type of munitions used.
Both sides from time to time have accused the other of firing rocket artillery, but its reported use is not constant.
Reports compiled and presented through the website of Russian retired reserve FSB Colonel Igor Girkin, novorosinform.org, said that the Ukrainian artillery attack on Pervomaisk, Stakhanov and Kalinovo began at around 2030 hrs Monday night and lasted about 20 minutes. The weapons used included 82mm and 120mm mortars including mines.
Damaged structures in Stakhanov included five story and eight story residential buildings, with residents complaining about damage to the roof and damage to gas lines in the area. Power was temporarily knocked out in the area.
According to official rebel accounts in Lugansk, three unidentified individuals were wounded in Stakhanov and one in Pervomaisk
In Kalinovo, reports say that three civilians were wounded in the attack, and that a water filtration plant was damaged and put out of operation. Power was temporarily knocked out from that attack as well.
Reports from Donetsk say that Ukrainian artillery hit residential areas of Gorlovka, wounding one unidentified female, and damaging residential structures. A video posted on the website of Gorlovka Pravda showed two areas where Ukrainian shells hit, one of them said to be from a 152mm howitzer. Gas lines were damaged from the shrapnel as well.
A separate report from novorosinform.org said that a new artillery attack on Gorlovka was recorded Tuesday afternoon. A separate attack which damaged two residential buildings was recorded in Dokuchaevsk, which is south of Donetsk city.
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
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Monday, December 11, 2017
4 Ukrainians wounded in artillery shelling in Donetsk
For a map, click here. You can enlarge the map, if you open it separately. By Chris Covert
Fighting in the recently captured Gladosovo and Travnevoye villages and shelling in key parts of the line of contact continued as five Ukrainian soldiers were wounded and one rebel soldiers was killed according to Russian language news accounts.
On Friday night, according to Russian backed rebel media in Donetsk, a Ukrainian seven man patrol was caught near Dolomitoye attempting to infiltrate the line of contact south. Dolomitoye is near Gorlovka and Gladosovo. According to the news release, two Ukrainian effectives were killed, as the other five escaped back to their lines.
Rebels media reported that Ukrainian site commanders in Gladosovo and Travnevoye have detained a number of civilians in the two towns, two of them charged with reporting to rebel commanders as artillery damage assessors. According to Donetsk ministry of defense spokesman, Colonel Eduard Basurin, Ukrainian commanders are talking about using the detainees as human shields.
Reports in the Russian sponsored Russkaya Vesna news outlet said that looting continues to occur in Gladosovo and Travnevoye, and that Ukrainian commanders are promising their soldiers to permit looting in exchange for capturing rebel held villages.
Ukrainian media has not addressed the charges to date.
Russkaya Vesna also reported that Ukrainian artillery fire struck rebel positions at the Donetsk airport, Spartak and the Yasinovataya checkpoint Monday night.
Russkaya Vesna also said that on Monday night, Ukrainian heavy artillery fire hit rebel positions at Logvinovo south of the Svetlodarsk arc. An hour later, Ukrainian artillery hit rebel positions to the east of Svetlodarsk at Pervomaisk, and Stakhanov, both of which are key positions for the rebels in Lugansk.
In lb.ua, however, a report said that on Sunday, five Ukrainians were wounded in rebel shelling in a number of locales in both Donetsk and Lugansk. The report said that rebel mortar and heavy weapons fire hit the Lugansk villages of Krymskoye, Novotoshkovskiy, Travnevoye, Svetlodarsk, Luganskoye and Zaitsevo.
The lb.ua report goes on to state that heavy fighting took place in Avdievka, where rebels fired more than three dozen 82mm mortar shells, including mines.
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
Saturday, December 9, 2017
For a map, click here You can enlarge the map, if you open it separately.
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
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
Wednesday, November 29, 2017
Rebels warn takeover of Gladosovo could spark counterattack
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.
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.
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.
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