Ukraine War Update - 20 February 2015

Friday, February 20, 2015  7:57 AM PST

Russian journalist's story about Russian troops storming Debaltseve: "There are Buryats behind that waste pile"

   (Censor.NET) --- Russian journalist from Kommersant news outlet Ilya Barabanov interviewed the Russian military who fought in Ukraine. This is the first case of a Russian medium to publish an article which is open about Russian soldiers taking part in the war in the Donbas.

   Censor.NET reports citing the article in Kommersant newspaper by Ilya Barabanov.

   Ilya Barabanov in his article tells about several young servicemen who were career soldiers of one of the separate motorized rifle brigades until recently.

   "But two or three weeks ago it all changed, and now we see two comrades-in-arms without insignia hugging at one of Horlivka's squares; another one posts a picture where three young guys sit on an armoured vehicle somewhere near Debaltseve. The third one posts an image of a 'DPR' tank stuck in an entrenchment - the main sight at the destroyed Vuhlehirsk entrance," the journalist wrote.

   "The logic of military operations in recent months is quite simple: only those who really know how to fight leave to perform combat missions on the part of either the self-proclaimed republics or "certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions" (as written in the Minsk agreement). They solve a given task and depart; then a city or village they just seized is filled with local mercenaries, who meet reporters at checkpoints and willingly talk about their past as miners. At some point, one can really believe that only locals fight with 'junta', but then someone blurts out: "There are Buryats behind that waste pile. - What Buryats? - Well… Donbas Indians. Everybody smiles, everything is understood," the article in Kommersant reads.

   "In the last days before the final assault on Debaltseve, in order not flash the "Buryats" to once again, journalists were not let into Vuhlehirsk, from where an offensive into the salient was commenced. A couple of days after the attack, when Debaltseve is finally mopped up and checkpoints are filled with miners, journalists will be again allowed to come in," Barabanov wrote.

   "Much has been said of strategic importance of Debaltseve in recent days - it is direct road connecting Donetsk and Luhansk, and the largest railway junction, and important height from the artillery point of view. But how many hundreds of people were killed on both sides during the offensive lasting for almost a month, we will not learn anytime soon. After Debaltseve was seized, the front line once again straightened. There is an option that the cease-fire agreement reached in Minsk will now be complied with from time to time, the fire will stop completely or at least decrease for a month or two until someone decides that the self-proclaimed republics cannot go on living without Mariupol, Artemivsk or Lysychansk. Then "political commissars" in military units throughout the large country once again get active with stories about how important it is to save the freedom-loving Donbas from Western aggression. No one is forced to go - volunteers only," he wrote.

Friday, February 20, 2015  7:56 AM PST

Yanukovych was only an obedient puppet. Moscow was preparing to butcher Ukraine before Maidan victory - Poroshenko

   (Censor.NET) --- Viktor Yanukovych who fled the country was only an obedient puppet in the hands of Russia.

   This was stated by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko at the ceremony of presenting state awards to the families of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred, Censor.NET reports citing the press service of the head of state.

   "It is now clear that we were fighting Yanukovych on the Maidan a year ago. He was just a cruel and obedient puppet. Russia's aggression against Ukraine began with disrupting [the signing of] the Association Agreement with the European Union, which was to take place in Vilnius. Moscow was preparing to liquidate and butcher Ukraine even before the victory of the Maidan. They were expecting Yanukovych's fall any day and accelerated the course of events," he said.

   "It has been a year since those tragic events when each of you lost their loved ones, and Ukraine lost its best sons and daughters. But the deep pain from the irreparable loss does not and will never go away! The whole country bows before the blessed memory of the Heroes of Heavenly Hundred. I cannot find words to comfort you because it is impossible to find such words. Such words simply do not exist! From now until the end of Ukraine every Feb. 20 we will mark the Day of the Heroes of Heavenly Hundred who have given their life during the Revolution of Dignity defending Ukraine. Thanks to their sacrifice, we live and breathe and have a unique chance to change the country for the better, and God forbid us from missing that chance," he added.

Friday, February 20, 2015  7:50 AM PST

Ukraine closes 23 checkpoints on border with Russia

   (Interfax) --- The Ukrainian Cabinet has closed 23 checkpoints on the country's border with Russia.

   "To close checkpoints across the national border as listed in the exhibit. The Foreign Ministry is to notify foreign diplomatic missions in Ukraine, as well as Ukraine's diplomatic missions and consular departments about the closure of the checkpoints," according to a governmental order N106-r of February 18, posted on the government's website.

   The list includes ten checkpoints in Luhansk region (three for motor vehicles, one for trains, and eight for both motor vehicles and pedestrians), two in Donetsk region, nine in Sumy region, one in Chernihiv region and one in Kharkiv region (all these are both for motor vehicles and pedestrians), the document reads.

   Four of the closed checkpoints (N441300 in Demyne-Oleksandrivka, N441100 in Novobila, N440700 in Vilkhove in Luhansk region, and N590000 in Sopych in Sumy region are international, the other 19 are local.

   Both checkpoints closed in Donetsk region and five out of the ten in Luhansk region are located on that section of the Ukrainian-Russian border which is currently controlled by the central government. All seven closed non-controlled checkpoints are local.

Friday, February 20, 2015  6:48 AM PST

Russia enhances occupation forces: 20 tanks, 10 self-propelled guns, and 35 trucks of ammunition entered Donbas - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- The ATO HQ declares that 20 tanks, 10 self-propelled guns, and 35 trucks full of ammunition entered Donbas from Russia Feb. 19.

   ATO speaker Andrii Lysenko said at the briefing, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainski Novyny.

   "Russia builds up occupation forces on the territory of Donbas. More than 20 tanks, 10 self-propelled guns, and 15 trucks with ammunition headed towards Novoazovsk," he said.

   "Another 20 trucks with ammunition and tankers entered Ukraine from Russia through Izvaryne (the Luhansk region) border crossing point.

   "In addition, the illegal crossing of the border with the Donbas by the buses full of Russian military was recorded.

   "The Russian troops' buildup was registered on the border with Ukraine, in the Voronezh and Rostov regions in particular," the report reads.

Friday, February 20, 2015 5:56 AM PST

Wounds of Ukrainian soldiers in ATO zone suggest use of experimental and banned weapons

   (Interfax) --- The nature of the injuries suffered by Ukrainian soldiers in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone suggests that Russian backed militants have uses proscribed weapons and have also been testing new weapons, Health Minister Alexander Kvitashvili said at a briefing summarizing the results of his trip to the regions of Ukraine.

   "During the trip I saw the same injuries I saw in Georgia, when banned weapons were used and new weapons were tested on humans," he said.

   According to Kvitashvili, he saw these wounds on wounded servicemen who were transferred to Dnipropetrovsk.

   "We talked with the experts on war surgery. They have no guarantees that prohibited weapons are used in the ATO zone," he said.

   The minister stressed the importance of training military doctors to treat these wounds.

   "Unfortunately, the skills of doctors outdated and standard surgical skills are no longer relevant," he said.

Friday, February 20, 2015 5:27 AM PST

110 Ukrainian soldiers captured in Debaltseve, 31 soldiers missing

   KIEV, February 20 (Ukrinform). --- During the planned withdrawal of ATO forces from Debaltseve springboard 110 Ukrainian soldiers have been captured by Russian-terrorist forces, the fate of another 31 soldiers is unknown.

   Acting Spokesperson for the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Vladyslav Selezniov said this at a briefing in Kiev on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

   "As Of 12.00 today, 110 Ukrainian military are captured by militants. Among 82 soldiers who were considered missing, 51 soldiers' whereabouts are already known, 31 soldiers remain missing," he said.

   He also said that the work on establishing the whereabouts of the missing soldiers, as well as on the release of those captured is continuing.

Friday, February 20, 2015 5:39 AM PST

Terrorists shell Ukrainian military 302 times since beginning of 'ceasefire'

   KIEV, February 20 (Ukrinform). --- Since the beginning of the "ceasefire" Russian-backed terrorists fired at positions of the anti-terrorist operation forces 302 times.

   Spokesman for the anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine Andriy Lysenko said this at a briefing in Kiev on Friday.

   "Terrorists and Russian military fired at ATO positions 302 times since the Minsk agreements had entered into force at 00:00 on February 15, 2015," Lysenko said.

   According to the press center for the anti-terrorist operation, terrorists fired at Ukrainian positions 49 times.

Friday, February 20, 2015 4:40 AM PST

Two soldiers killed, three wounded in past 24 hours

   KIEV, February 20 (Ukrinform). --- Two Ukrainian servicemen have been killed and three have been wounded in the area of the anti-terrorist operation in Donbas in the past 24 hours.

   Acting Spokesperson for the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Vladyslav Selezniov said this at a briefing in Kiev on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

   "During the shelling and clashes Ukraine has lost two soldiers, another three suffered injuries of various degrees of severity in past 24 hours," he said.

Friday, February 20, 2015 4:38 AM PST

Ukrainian weapons unfit for evacuation from Debaltseve destroyed – General Staff

   (Interfax) --- Ukrainian servicemen taking part in the army operation in the country's south-eastern regions destroyed all units of military hardware that could not be evacuated from the town of Debaltseve, Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff spokesman Vladyslav Selezniov has said.

   "The military hardware that was unable to travel was destroyed there and then. It means that it cannot be used further," Selezniov told a press conference in Kiev on Friday.

   He confirmed that all combat-capable weapons had been evacuated from Debaltseve.

Friday, February 20, 2015 3:42 AM PST

Revelation of a Russian mercenary: "30 people from our battalion were killed near Luhansk".

   (Censor.NET) --- Tatarstan, Russia, news outlet "Chelny LTD" has published an article by Sergei Rodachev on Feb. 17 titled “Chelny resident fights near Luhansk: "30 people from our battalion were killed near Luhansk," which includes an interview with a 45-year-old resident of the city of Naberezhnye Chelny, Russia, a certain Stanislav Starorusskiy, who left for Luhansk to serve as tanker in the "militia."

   Censor.NET reports citing investigative blogger Irakli Komakhidze.

   "The Ukrainian Army and the National Guard inflicted heavy casualties to the Russian-terrorist forces in the battle for Debaltseve by their skillful actions. There are certain photos and videos in the Internet reflecting recent events. Some of them were provided by us. But such revelations of the "Novorossia" militants are especially interesting. This kind of information will certainly not be covered by the main Russia's TV channels but may from time to time appear in the Russian regional press," the blogger wrote.

Here is an extract from the mercenary's interview to the Russian outlet, published Feb. 16:

• We have returned from the front line only Feb. 14. We have been there for a month. There was a continuous artillery and mortar shelling when we arrived. Seven people out of 11 in positions were wounded, and three others were killed. All types of weapons were used by the other side. Their tanks were also superior to ours - they were more advanced, equipped with night vision devices, infrared scopes. A drone was constantly flying as well. That means that they knew everything about us. The locals were crossing the borders in both directions. We never knew who of them was a friend and who was not?
• We have lost seven tanks with crews on Feb. 8. About 30 people from our battalion were killed. There are four companies of 32 people in each battalion. They have recently sent crews without tanks to Debaltseve as usual infantry, armed with assault rifles and pistols.

Friday, February 20, 2015 2:56 AM PST

Situation in Ukraine's eastern regions.

   KIEV, February 20 (Ukrinform). --- The situation in eastern Ukraine remains tense. Despite the declared ceasefire, Russian-backed terrorists continue to fire at Ukrainian army positions and settlements in Donbas.

   The map reflecting the situation in Donbas as of 12.00 on February 20 has been released by the information and analytical center of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council.

Friday, February 20, 2015 12:42 AM PST

Terrorists do not intend to cease fire: the militants’ activity increased at the Donetsk direction this night - ATO press center

   (Censor.NET) --- The terrorists continue conducting artillery strikes.

   Censor.NET reports citing the ATO press center.

   "The shelling of the Ukrainian troops' positions is underway in the anti-terrorist operation area.

   "Enemy's attacks impacted cities and villages at the Donetsk direction in the night of Feb. 20.

   "Tonenke and Avdiivka were attacked twice from multiple rocket launchers. A strike from Grads impacted the village of Kurakhove. The terrorists engaged in battle using armoured vehicles near Opytne village. The enemy shelled Vodiane village three times from artillery and mortars.

   "The miscreants fired at Berdianske village from small arms and mortars at the Mariupol direction.

   "The gangs fired at our positions 15 times totally during the night. The militants violated the cease-fire 49 times over the last 24 hours.

   "Although the enemy's activity was significantly stronger prior to the peace agreements conclusion, the statistics of daily attacks once again prove that the terrorists do not strive to cease fire or withdraw heavy weapons from the line of contact," the statement reads.

Thursday, February 19, 2015  23:52 PST

Giant Russian grave site found in Ukraine

Giant cemetery of unidentified Russian mercenaries found by Russian blogger in Donetsk.

   (Censor.NET) --- Russian journalist and blogger Ilya Varlamov took a picture of Donetsk cemetery where terrorists are buried. The vast number of graves are those of unidentified soldiers.

   Varlamov posted the cemetery image on his Livejournal blog, Censor.NET reports.

   "This is the mercenaries' cemetery, which they call 'Alley of Glory.' Many bodies remain unidentified, so they are buried with just number plates ," the journalist reported.