Ukraine War Update - 9 May 2015

Saturday, May 9, 2015  7:03 AM PDT

Ukraine marking 70th anniversary of victory over Nazism

   (UNIAN) --- High-ranking officials have taken part in an official wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Kiev on May 9.

   Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has taken part in the official wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Kiev's Eternal Glory Park on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazism in World War II.

   As an UNIAN correspondent reported, the ceremony was also attended by Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Deputy Chairman of Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov, Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, church representatives, war veterans, and the public.

   Kiev also hosted a march of military bands from different countries.

   Military musicians from Ukraine, Poland, Estonia, Jordan, the United Kingdom first lined up on Glory Square, and then marched to the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, the correspondent said.

   They were followed by a column of Afghan war veterans and other citizens.

   As UNIAN learnt from the Kiev police, they hadn't received any reports about violations of public order in the city by that moment.

   A large number of police officers were engaged to maintain law and order on Glory Square.

Saturday, May 9, 2015  6:58 AM PDT

Terrorists keep firing from banned weapons and tanks on both Remembrance and Victory Days

   (Censor.NET) --- The militants continue to attack the ATO forces’ positions despite the celebration of the 70th anniversary of victory over Nazism in WW2.

   Andrii Lysenko, speaker of the National Security and Defense Council announced today at a briefing, Censor.NET reports citing Interfax-Ukraina

   "The situation in the ATO area remains tense. Pro-Russian militants continue to violate the Minsk agreements, firing from banned weapons even on the Day of Victory, Remembrance and Reconciliation.

   For the past 24 hours, the militants shelled the Army's positions with 120-mm mortars (20 times) and 122-mm mortars (four times). The terrorists fired also from tanks (four times) and even once from 152mm cannon," Lysenko said.

Saturday, May 9, 2015  6:13 AM PDT

We will never celebrate May 9 under Russian scenario again - Poroshenko

   (Censor.NET) --- Ukraine will never celebrate Victory Day under the Russian scenario again, because it provides for the cold-blooded use of the holiday for an apology to the expansionist policy regarding neighbors aimed at keeping them in the sphere of one's influence and restoration of empire.

President Poroshenko declared today at the Victory Day ceremony, Censor.NET reports citing ZN.UA.
   The Head of State has informed on the initiation of a new tradition. On May 8, Ukraine celebrated the Day of Remembrance and Reconciliation with all European countries at the state level for the first time. "For us not to forget the victims of that dreadful war, which killed over 50 million people all over the world, almost every fifth of which, unfortunately, was from Ukraine," the president said.
   President Poroshenko noted that at least six million Ukrainians who fought in the Red Army before God and history are the main witnesses of blatant injustice of Moscow propagandistic myth that Russia would have allegedly won the war without Ukraine. "Even greater cynicism is to create the image of fascist state for our country. Clearly, this is done with only one goal - to substantiate and justify one's crime in the eyes of one's own people - namely Russian aggression against Ukraine," Poroshenko concluded.

Saturday, May 9, 2015  5:01 AM PDT

Three Russian drones were spotted over last 24 hours

   (Censor.NET) --- Over the past 24 hours, three drones of the Russian-terrorist forces were spotted in Eastern Ukraine.

Andrii Lysenko, speaker of the National Security and Defense Council announced today at a briefing, Censor.NET reports citing Interfax-Ukraina
"Ukrainian border guards have spotted three enemy drones in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions," Lysenko said.

Saturday, May 9, 2015  3:27 AM PDT

Four Ukrainian soldiers wounded, no one killed over past 24 hours

   (Censor.NET) --- Four Ukrainian soldiers were wounded and no one killed over the last 24 hours in the ATO zone on May 8.

   Andrii Lysenko, speaker of the National Security and Defense Council announced today at a briefing, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainski novyny.

   No Ukrainian servicemen were killed in the ATO area on May 8. At the same time four Ukrainian soldiers and three civilians were injured.

Saturday, May 9, 2015  1:22 AM PDT

Terrorists fired four sectors from heavy artillery last night

   (Censor.NET) --- ‘LPR’ and ‘DPR’ militants continue to violate the truce, shelling Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.

   Censor.NET reports citing the ATO press center.

   "During last night (May 8-9), the terrorists kept violating the Minsk agreements. Once again they shelled the ATO forces' positions and peaceful villages in four sectors with banned heavy artillery and mortars.
   "The D sector became the flash point last night. The militants shelled Opytne, Pisky, Vodiane villages, and Avdiivka town with 120mm mortars and 152mm cannons. The village of Opytne was fired from heavy machine guns, small arms and grenade launchers. A sniper was spotted near Pisky village.

   "In the Luhansk sector, Novotoshkivka and Krymske villages were shelled with 120mm mortars, while Stanytsia Luhanska was fired from automatic grenade launchers.

   "The village of Shyrokyne was shelled twice. It was quiet in the M sector after 8 p.m.

   "The terrorists fired Maiorske village from heavy artillery in the Artemivsk direction. Artemove town and Opytne village were shelled with banned 122mm mortars and 152mm cannons," the statement reads.