Ukraine War Update - 8 June 2015

Monday, June 8, 2015  7:59 AM PDT

Intense front line fighting in eastern Ukraine

   (UNIAN) --- Fierce fighting flared up overnight into Monday along the front line in the Ukrainian Donbas as Russia-backed militants shelled positions of government forces with heavy weapons supposed to have been withdrawn according to the Minsk agreement. 

   Hostilities intensified the town of Artemivsk near the strategic transport hub of Debaltseve, and also around Avdiivka and Shyrokine, Ukraine Today reports. 

   Militants used grenade launchers, machine guns and other small weapons while at least ten reconnaissance drones were also spotted, according to Ukrainian military.

   Members of OSCE Monitoring Mission came under militant fire earlier on Sunday while assessing the site of a previous shelling, with no casualties reported.

   Meanwhile, some of the enemy’s sniper and reconnaissance groups have been reported to be operating in the vicinity of Maryinka, the last week’s target of the Russia-backed militants’ failed offensive.

Monday, June 8, 2015  6:32 AM PDT

Ukraine to create its own reconnaissance satellite with Canada

   (UNIAN) --- Ukrainian defense enterprises together with Canadian experts are to implement a program to launch a reconnaissance satellite for Ukraine, the press service of the state defense industry company Ukroboronprom reported on Monday.

   According to the press service, the appropriate agreements have been reached on the results of the conference and the CANSEC exhibition that was held by the Association of the Security and Defense of Canada in Ottawa.

   "Having justified the need for an optical reconnaissance satellite for Ukraine, the Ukrainian delegation reached agreement with Canada to cooperate on this project," the report says.

   The press service also said that in addition to working on this project, the sides had discussed the deepening of cooperation of the military-industrial complexes of the two countries.

   As UNIAN reported earlier, in April, the state defense industry company Ukroboronprom said that Ukraine and Turkey had agreed to deepen cooperation in the space, aircraft and armoured vehicle branches.

Monday, June 8, 2015  6:28 AM PDT

Kiev-1 Battalion: Fighting is over near Maryinka

   (UNIAN) --- Close combat between the Ukrainian armed forces and Russian-backed militants near the town of Maryinka of Donetsk region has ended, MP and coordinator of the Interior Ministry’s Kiev-1 special patrol police battalion Yevhen Deidei wrote on his Facebook page on Monday afternoon.

   "The battle is over. The militants have suffered significant losses - a lot of wounded and killed. In addition, the Ukrainian army broke their infantry fighting vehicles," he said.

   According to Deidei, there were no casualties among the civilians and the Ukrainian armed forces.

   "It is quiet near Maryinka now..." he said.

   As UNIAN reported earlier, MP and coordinator of the Interior Ministry’s Kiev-1 special patrol police battalion Yevhen Deidei wrote on his Facebook page on Monday morning that Russian-backed militants again fired tanks and mortars at point-blank range on the Ukrainian armed forces in the town of Maryinka of Donetsk region.

   Later, presidential administration spokesman for ATO issues Colonel Andriy Lysenko said that the Ukrainian armed forces had enough resources to resist the new militant attacks near the town of Maryinka of Donetsk region.

Monday, June 8, 2015  6:02 AM PDT

North Crimean Canal is destroyed. North of peninsula may turn into desert.

   (Censor.NET) --- Crimea is still economically dependent on Ukraine. After the annexation of the peninsula by Russia and stop of water supplies via the North Crimean canal, northern part of the peninsula is experiencing serious water shortages.

   One of the canal constructors Georgii Kapshuk said in an interview to Krymskyi Telegraph newspaper, Censor.NET reports with reference to Chetvertaia Vlast. He pointed out that if the problem with water supply via North Crimean canal is not resolved in the coming year, the unique water artery will be destroyed and lost forever. Moreover, the population of the area will have to leave.

   "Everyone reiterates that artesian wells will save Crimea from lack of water. In our time we plugged the wells from Perekop to Kerch when we received the water from the Dnipro river. And there were wells to which we pumped Dnipro water to fill them. But now it is impossible to drink the water from the canal. It is too salty. If we pump the water from the wells all the time what happens next? A disaster. What can you do in Crimea without water? I have only one solution. If the problem with the North Crimean canal is not solved in political, diplomatic way, making compromises, it will die, and everything that existed in the north, the north-south, the north-west, the north-east of the Crimea, all the infrastructure will die, too. The people will go away from there, the villages will die," Kapshuk said.
   According to him, the canal structure is now destroyed because it remains being without water and is exposed to heat and sun.

   "Everything is abandoned there now. If the canal is not used for another year - good-bye the North Crimean canal! I often go there. I am not sentimental, but I have tears in my eyes when I see what is left there!This steel concrete is like a living organism. In summer, when the ground is heated up to 60 degrees and there is no water, it scorches. 11,000 kilometers of channels - inter-farm, irrigation, pipelines. Distance from here to Alaska. It cannot remain without water in summer," Kapshuk said.

Monday, June 8, 2015  6:00 AM PDT

Over 42,000 militants in east, 55,000 Russian soldiers on border - Defense Ministry

   KIEV, June 8 (Ukrinform). --- Defense Minister of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak states there are 42,500 terrorists and Russian military in the occupied areas of Donbas.

   The minister has said this at the Ukraine-NATO Inter-Parliamentary Council meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

   "As of now, the joint contingent of the Russian Armed Forces and illegal armed units stationed on the temporarily occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions consists of over 42,500 persons," the minister said.

   Poltorak also noted that the militants had doubled attacks on positions of Ukrainian troops in May - beginning of June in comparison with April.

   "Russia keeps its forces along the border with Ukraine... The total number is about 55,000 soldiers and about 3,700 units of weapons and equipment of the Russian Federation," he added.

   According to forecasts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the major terrorist efforts are expected to be directed at creating the armed forces of the self-proclaimed "DPR" and "LPR" republics.

Monday, June 8, 2015  5:21 AM PDT

1,200 Ukrainian servicemen missing in ATO area

   KIEV, June 8 (Ukrinform). --- Over 1,200 Ukrainian soldiers are missing in the ATO area, while over 300 people are held in captivity.

   President's Commissioner for peaceful settlement of Donbas conflict, MP Iryna Herashchenko has said this at the Ukraine-NATO Inter-Parliamentary Council meeting, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

   "The Security Service of Ukraine has made up an updated list of all the Ukrainians, who are currently being held hostage by terrorists and in the territory of the Russian Federation. It comprises more than 300 people. More than 1,200 Ukrainians are missing," the MP said.

   Herashchenko specified that eleven prisoners "are surely in the territory of the Russian Federation", and according to unconfirmed reports and to the data of intelligence service, there are thirty such people.

Monday, June 8, 2015  4:59 AM PDT

No one killed, 10 soldiers wounded over past day, - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- Over the past day, no Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the anti-terrorist operation area.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the Presidential Administration speaker on ATO matters Andrii Lysenko at a briefing.
   "Over the past day, no Ukrainian soldiers were killed, 10 were injured in combat activities and due to the enemy's sabotage acts," he said.

   He also said that one Ukrainian border guard went missing after guard boat exploded near Mariupol on June 7.

Monday, June 8, 2015  3:24 AM PDT

Local elections in Donbas will be delayed if control over state border is not restored by start of election campaign, - deputy head of the Verkhovna Rada Parubii

   (Censor.NET) --- If control over the border is not restored by start of the election campaign, there will be no local elections in Donbas. Elections will take place at the rest of the territory.

   That is what Andrii Parubii, First deputy of Ukrainian parliament said at an inter-parliamentary Ukraine-NATO meeting that had been broadcast by TV channel 112 Ukraine, Censor.NET reports.
   "If by start of the election campaign (local elections - Ed.) there are occupant troops at the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk, if control over the Ukrainian-Russian border is not restored by the Ukrainian border guards and the Ukrainian soldiers, it will be impossible to carry out the election process at the occupied territories, unfortunately, and we will have to delay it at the occupied territories, while carrying it out at the rest of our country's territory," Parubii said.

Monday, June 8, 2015  2:47 AM PDT

Rebels mount another attack on Marjinka

   (Censor.NET) --- June 8, Donbas rebels have launched another attack on Marjinka, following their abortive offensive June 3, ‘Kiev-1’ volunteer battalion CO Yevhen Deidei writes in Facebook today.

   “The rebels are point-blank firing from tanks and heavy mortars. We are engaged in close combat. We will stand firm and repulse the attack. Glory to Ukraine!” he writes.

   Marjinka was the scene of fierce 10-hour long fighting last week. Ukraine army reported 30 wounded. Four civilians were killed.

   The enemy attack was repulsed when Ukraine army used heavy artillery against rebel tanks and Grad missile systems, killing up to 60 and wounding about 90 rebels.