By Roman Burko, burkonews.info
According to the official sources, Ukrainian forces have liberated Yasynuvata (Donetsk Oblast) today. However, alternative sources do not confirm this information and therefore we are waiting for new facts to confirm or deny this information. Yasynuvata is really a very important object that allows controlling entrances to Donetsk from the north. However, its strategic importance should not be overestimated. We do not think that terrorists use railroad to transfer their freights; moreover, they have lines of retreat from Horlivka to Donetsk via Yenakijeve which is still controlled by terrorists.
There are alarming facts about the grouping of terrorists in Horlivka: the terrorists very skillfully hid their positions in Holmivskiy village.
Recall that the ATO forces there have already struck against the dolomite plant and the special school: these buildings were occupied by terrorists. It is most likely that after the attack the terrorists scattered through the woods in the area of the dolomite plant. It is possible that the terrorists returned to their positions later thinking that lightning does not strike twice. Besides, according to not yet confirmed information, there is an accumulation of terrorist forces in the area of Molochny settlement; this could be a hint at a counterattack in the area of Debaltseve (it can also be attacked from Irmino, just like we predicted yesterday).
After the successful counterattack by the terrorists upon Marinka, Ukrainian military were forced to retreat; however, today they have gotten back their former positions with the help of territorial self-defense battalions of “Shakhtar” and “Azov”.
Official representatives even talk about an assault of Donetsk which will allegedly happen in the near future. This sounds great, but: today in Zello channels of terrorists a gathering of major criminals was announced. During this gathering Girkin will allegedly allow all ringleaders to leave Donetsk. This sounds at least strange, considering that military equipment of terrorists moves from Khartsyzk to Donetsk. Even if they leave, where will they go?
This could be a demonstration maneuver: terrorist can possibly counterattack towards Marinka and then fall back to Mariupol: this is where the Russian forces are presumably preparing a breakthrough. It is interesting that in the evening, when we were about to publish the summary, approximately by 21:00 – 21:30 several armored vehicles of the terrorists have moved towards the Mariupol highway.
As for the eastern sector: the armored vehicles of terrorists accumulated in that area attacked the positions of the combined forces of the 72nd and 51st brigades in the area of Chervonopartyzansk. After a long shelling by MRLS BM-21 “Grad” and tanks, Ukrainian servicemen along with the border guards had to perform an unexpected maneuver and retreat to the territory of the Russian Federation. Active operational actions of terrorists in that area are the consequence of unlock of communication lines between Dmytrivka and Dyakove. Accordingly, the ATO forces in the area of Chervonopartyzansk could receive the promised reinforcement in the near future and that is why the terrorists dealt with that very promptly. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine announced that the servicemen would return to Ukraine very soon.
The ATO forces continue to advance upon Shakhtarsk. Ukrainian military were able to entrench on the outskirts of the city but it is very far from complete liberation given that there are terrorist groupings in Perevalsk, Alchevsk, Stakhanov and Pervomaisk.
The attack upon Luhansk from the north continues. The information about liberation of Velyka Verhunka has finally confirmed. However, the question with the grouping of the ATO forces near Lutuhyne still remain open given continuous transfers of reinforcement for militants from the Russian Federation.
- Русский: Антитеррористическая операция в Украине. Сводка по состоянию на 4 августа 2014
- Українська: Антитерористична операція в Україні. Зведення за станом на 4 серпня 2014
- Беларуская: Антытэрарыстычная апэрацыя ва Украіне. Зводкі па стане на 4 жніўня 2014
- English: The Anti-Terrorist Operation in Ukraine: Summary for August 4, 2014
