Dmitry Tymchuk’s Military Blog: Summary – August 4, 2014

February 21 – Russian terrorists continue to shell the city of Avdiyivka. Three residents were killed, – informed the Head of Donetsk Regional Department of the Interior Ministry Vyacheslv Abroskin.

February 21 – Security Service of Ukraine has composed a list of over 100 Russian media, whose accreditation has been temporarily withdrawn. Right move, since they are not regular media but KGB.

February 21 – United States and its allies are discussing the possibility of adopting additional sanctions against Russia due to the situation in eastern Ukraine, – said US Secretary of State John Kerry at the meeting with UK Foreign Minister Philip Hammond. We'll be waiting.

February 21 – Pentagon experts have recorded a surge in Russian air activity over Ukraine, stated US Ministry of Defense spokesman Steve Warren.

February 21 – 139 Ukrainian military have just been freed near Luhansk, – informed the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. Hybrid war. It is like we are at war and at the same time we're not.

February 21 – Military actions implemented by Putin against Ukraine, have already cost Russian society and the state 123 billion USD, said the president of the Institute of Economic Analysis Andrei Illarionov at a roundtable meeting in Kyiv.

February 21 – Fighters are increasing their presence in the direction towards Mariupol. Maybe they are readying to attack Mariupol. This was stated by ATO Spokesperson, Andriy Lysenko and transmitted by Interfax-Ukraine.

"In the direction towards Mariupol there is an increasing number of armed artillery, weapons, and live forces of the oponent with the goal of possibly attacking the city of Mariupol," he stated at a briefing on Saturday in Kyiv. He noted that in the last 24 hours the fighters shelled the positions of ATO almost along the whole line of demarcation and conducted an unsuccessful attempt to storm them in the area of Shyrokyne Village. "During the last 24 hours, the fighters continued to shoot the positions of the ATO forces practically along the whole stretch of the line of demarcation," he stated. According to Lysenko, particularly intense remain the armed provocations from the side of the fighters in the Yasynuvatskyj area of the Donetsk region. "This is around the villages of Pisky, Doslidne, Vodiane, and Tonenke. In doing this, they actively utilize mines as well as reactive artillery of fire volleys and tanks," explained the ATO Spokesperson and also noted that there are continued provocations in the area of Shyrokyne Village. "Fighters with mines, grenades, and rifles, attacked the positions of ATO forces 10 times and were unsuccessful in storming it," reported Lysenko. Also the lietenant informed that the forces of ATO in the Debaltsev direction, are regrouping and are consolidating on new defensive positions. ATO Speaker provided information that in the Luhansk region,"Russian-terrorist groupings exhibited activity and attacked from the reactive systems of the gun volley 'Hrad' the area of the city of Popasne and the strong point of our soldiers and actually the city." Also, he informed, that in the last 24 hours, there were traced 16 enemy BPLA flights directed toward Mariupol, Donetsk, and Luhansk. "We note that most of the unmanned flights appear in the skies within 30 minutes after shooting has ceased," added Lysenko.

What's happening in Ukraine and why you should care

Our dangerous historical moment

UK – Lords report on Ukraine-Russia conflict

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January 26 – 7 Ukrainian military were killed and 24 injured in the ATO area in the last 24 hours, – informed the spokesman for the General Staff of Ukrainian Armed Forces Vladyslas Seleznyov

January 26 – During a meeting on Monday, PACE Bureau (governing body of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) has by a majority vote decided to recognize immunity of the member of Ukrainian parliament Nadiya Savchenko, -informed PACE President Anne Brasseur. Russia is now obligated to free Nadiya Savchenko. As usual, Russia is ignoring the whole thing and refuses to act.

January 26 – Artillery spotter who was involved in attack on Mariupol confirms that the shelling was done by Russian artillery battery. Spotter's last name is Kirsanov and he is a citizen of Ukraine. He was detained and the video of his interrogation was shown to journalists at Security Service of Ukraine. Russian officer (aka "Pepel) was in command of the unit, which carried out the shelling."

January 26 – Russia has begun using its military aviation near the border with Ukraine more often, – informed Deputy Head of Information and Analytical Center of the National Security and Defense Council Volodymyr Polyovyi. Aviation is needed only if Russia plans for a large-scale offensive.

January 25 – Russia is trying to force Ukrainian authorities to negotiate with terrorists, – stated Andrei Illarionov, former Adviser to the Russian President, when commenting on latest events in Mariupol.

January 25 – Dnipropetrovsk oblast, which is neighboring Donbas, is going to operate according to a special regime in order to ensure safety against the backdrop of a worsening situation in the ATO area, – informed Deputy Head of the Administration Svyatoslav Oliynyk.

January 25 – Ukraine is initiating an urgent meeting of NATO-Ukraine Commission to discuss current situation and further actions – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

January 25 – Terrorists were planning to start a massive attack on Ukrainian forces on January 17th, but the actions of Ukrainian Armed Forces prevented this from happening – President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

January 25 – More than 1200 terrorists were disabled (805 killed and 405 injured) since terrorist groups decided to attack ATO forces, – informed Minister of Defence Stepan Poltorak during the National Security and Defense Council meeting on Sunday, January 25th.

January 25 – National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine has instructed the government to start the appeal procedure at Hague Tribunal on crimes against humanity committed by terrorists against Ukrainian citizens in 2014-2015 and on recognizing "People's Republic of Donetsk" and "People's Republic of Luhansk" as terrorist organizations.

January 25 – Russian President Vladimir Putin urged former President Viktor Yanukovych to "very powerfully strike" Maidan in order to suppress mass protests in Kyiv, – said Marshal of the Polish Sejm and former Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski in his Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung interview (German newspaper).

January 25 – The Chief of Staff of the 58th Army of the Southern Military District of Russia, Major General Sergey Kuzovlov is himself leading pro-Russian militants and Russian soldiers in their offensive against Ukrainian Armed Forces near the rayon city of Popasna, – informs ATO press center. Moscow curators of "People's Republic of Donetsk" and "People's Republic of Luhansk" have observed the inability of these groups to withstand organized actions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, decided to strengthen these groups with regular Russian troops.

January 25 – NATO Defense Ministers will meet in February to discuss possible nuclear threats on behalf of Russia, – reports Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

January 25 – On Thursday January 29th, the EU Council will hold an extraordinary meeting concerning the escalating situation in eastern Ukraine, particularly in Mariupol, – informed EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Federica Mogherini.

The Fate of Ukraine

Mariupol: a strategic symbol

WAR explodes in Ukraine

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