Ukrainian troops entered Luhansk. Moscow film director Alexei Smirnov reported about on his social network page. Alexei Smirnov actively supported terrorists and until recently was in the village Novosviltivka (Krasnodon district). Smirnov wrote that he [together with the terrorists] was ambushed and barely survived. Also he reported that Luhansk has been cut off [by the Ukrainian army].
There were fights in the streets in the night, a source in Ukrainian Armed Forces reported to informator.lg.ua. According to source, the situation is complicated by the fact that terrorists are shooting indiscriminately at residential areas.
“In fact, the Russian-backed terrorists have turned the whole city into a fortified area. It is not just the militia. Professional mercenaries are fighting on the side of so-called “LNR” (Luhansk People Republic),” an informator.lg.ua correspondent reports.
As Nataliya Stelmakh wrote on FB, the battle for Luhansk continues. Fighting has broken out on the streets of the city. The Epicenter hypermarket got bombed, burning now. A projectile hit a dorm at Solnechniy block, killing 8 people. The city center is all in smoke. All Luhansk social network groups are overfilled with calls “help me get my Mom/grandma/grandpa out of there,” people are hiding in basements. A lot of sausages and meat got spoiled in Absolut supermarkets. They were too greedy to give them to people, so now they throw the meat out.
Dmytro Sniehiryov, a Luhansk activist of NGO Prava Sprava reported to Espresso TV per telephone that Russia-backed terrorists had come under fire of their own Grad multiple rocket launchers. “Two hours ago a detachment of terrorists “Zorya” [“Dawn”] came under fire of own Grad multiple rocket launchers near Novosvitlvka under of Luhansk. 23 terrorists were killed,” Dmytro Snyehyrov added.
Yesterday, on August 14, Ukrainian troops killed about 150 terrorists and destroyed eight tanks blocking the road from Krasnodon in Luhansk. This road served to terrorists as a route for transporting weapons and ammunition. This news was provided to TSN by Sergei Melnychuk the battalion commander Aydar, said TSN.
According to him, the Ukrainian army and volunteers managed to block the strategically important route from Krasnodon to Luhansk and to kill about 150 terrorists. There were casualties from the side of Ukrainian army and volunteers. The exact number of casualties to be confirmed. Two Russian colonels has been taken as prisoners.
The battle for Luhansk continues. As of morning of August 16, the ATO forces have established control over the police station of Zhovtneviy district and have raised the Ukrainian flag over it, Podrobnosti reports. The flag was raised after fierce battles over Velyka Verhunka.
[hr]Compilation, translation, and edits by Vitalii Usenko& Alya Shandra
