Ukraine War Update - 17 July 2015

Friday, July 17, 2015  8:29 AM PDT

Zhanna Nemtsova, daughter of the murdered russian
opposition leader Boris Jefimowitsch Nemtsov,
passing a prison cell in the basement as she visits the
former Stasi jail on May 28, 2015 in Berlin,
Germany (AP Photo)

Daughter of slain Russian opposition leader Nemtsov moves to Germany

   (AP) --- A daughter of slain Russian opposition leader says Vladimir Putin must bear responsibility for his death

   The daughter of slain Russian opposition leader Boris Nemtsov has left Russia to work for the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, Associated Press reports.  

   Zhanna Nemtsova, who previously worked for Russian television, said in a statement Friday she had received threats after pressing for further investigations into her father's murder.

   Deutsche Welle, a government-funded broadcaster, says Nemtsova will join its Russian department, whose programs are available online. The director of Deutsche Welle, Peter Limbourg, says Nemtsova's "clear stance and knowledge could enhance the success of our Russian department."

   Christoph Jumpel, a spokesman for the channel, said Nemtsova was in Germany on a working visa and didn't plan to apply for political asylum.

   Boris Nemtsov, a popular opposition leader and critical voice against Russian President Vladimir Putin, was assassinated Feb. 27, 2015, near the Kremlin.

Friday, July 17, 2015  5:03 AM PDT

Serbian mercenaries are not fighting in Donbas - Dacic

   (Interfax) --- Serbian mercenaries are not fighting on the side of militants in eastern Ukraine, Serbian Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ivica Dacic said.

   "It was reported that Serbian mercenaries are fighting on the side of the separatists, but it's not so," he told a briefing in Kiev on Friday.

   Dacic said that criminal liability is envisaged for such actions in Serbia.

Friday, July 17, 2015  4:59 AM PDT

OSCE SMM continues to observe armed persons coming to Donetsk region from Russia

   (Interfax) --- Observers of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) have continued to monitor armed people and weaponry coming to Donetsk region from Russia.

   Using drones, the OSCE SMM observed gatherings of weaponry in territory controlled by the so-called Donetsk People's Republic in Komsomolsk and in the south of Donetsk region along the demarcation line, deputy head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission Alexander Hug said.

   He also said that a Strela surface-to-air missile system, and minibuses carrying armed people from Russia via the uncontrolled part of the border had been observed.

Friday, July 17, 2015  3:34 AM PDT

No one killed, two soldiers wounded, - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- Two soldiers were wounded in the course of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) on July 16.

   This was announced by the Presidential Administration representative on the ATO matters Andrii Lysenko at a briefing, Censor.NET reports.
   "Over the past day, no Ukrainian soldiers were killed in combat activities, two were wounded near the Donetsk airport," he said.

Friday, July 17, 2015  3:08 AM PDT

Armed persons arriving to Donbas from Russia, Russian Strela anti-aircraft missile system revealed near Komsomolsk, OSCE says

   (Censor.NET) --- OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in Ukraine has recorded movement of minibuses with armed people to the Donetsk region from Russia through uncontrolled part of the border.

   As reported by Censor.NET citing Ukrainski Novyny, this was announced by the deputy head of the mission Alexander Hug at a briefing in Kiev.

   According to Hug, an OSCE drone revealed a cluster of military equipment in terrorists-controlled Komsomolsk and to the south from the demarcation line. A Strela anti-aircraft missile system was also found by observers in the same area.

   Minibuses with armed people traveling to the Donetsk region from Russia through an uncontrolled part of the border were also recorded.
   As reported, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine announced of pro-Russian Donbas forces intention to launch assaults at three directions.

Friday, July 17, 2015  12:35 AM PDT

Ukrainian soldiers prevented two attempts of enemy saboteurs' breakthrough into rear, - ATO press-center

   (Censor.NET) --- Russian terrorists keep waging attacks on peaceful cities and villages in Ukraine.

   Censor.NET informs citing situation report by the ATO press center.

   "The pro-Russian gangs committed about 60 attacks on our troops over the past day, July 16. More than 40 of them were conducted from 6 p.m. to midnight. The gangs used weapons banned by the Minsk agreements 23 times," the report reads.

   According to the headquarters, the Kremlin's terrorists keep waging attacks on peaceful cities and villages: "Avdiivka was shelled from the 152-mm artillery yesterday at 5.30 p.m.; Opytne was attacked from 120-mm mortars at 5.30 p.m. and 10.26 p.m.; Avdiivka was once again shelled from a tank at 6.24 p.m."

   "The bandits used 152-mm and 122-mm artillery four times, 120-mm mortars and tanks - about 20 times during the attacks on the ATO forces' positions. The defensive positions of the Ukrainian troops near the towns and villages of Orikhove (Popasna district), Opytne, Novotoshkivske, and Avdiivka were repeatedly shelled. The village of Pisky was shelled by incendiary mines launched from 120-mm mortars," the headquarters noted.

   It is also reported that the Ukrainian soldiers have successfully prevented two attempts of the enemy subversives to breakthrough into the rear yesterday, July 16: "An engagement took place near the village of Staryi Aidar at 1.20 p.m. and another one near Avdiivka at 7 p.m. The Ukrainian servicemen forced the enemy to retreat."

   "The gangs were conducting harassing fire on the ATO forces from midnight to 6 a.m. today, July 17. Such attacks have repeatedly been recorded near the villages of Pisky, Shchastia, Stanytsia Luhanska, and Shyrokyne. The militants shelled our positions near the village of Khimik from 120-mm mortars at 12.10 a.m.," the press center reported.

   "The situation in the ATO area is completely controlled by the Ukrainian servicemen. The Ukrainian soldiers are firmly holding defensive positions," the HQ summed up.

Thursday, July 16, 2015  23:42 PDT

Ukrainian intelligence confirms soonest Russia’s advance in Ukraine, Poroshenko says

   (Censor.NET) --- According to the information received by the military intelligence, there is high probability of the Russian troops’ soonest offensive in Ukraine.

   President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said in an interview with CNN, Censor.NET reports.

   "I have the confirmation of that (further escalation by Russia - Ed.) from our own intelligence sources," the head of state said.

   In addition, the Ukrainian president stressed that civilians and Ukrainian military continue to be killed in the Donbas hostilities.

   In particular, the head of state recalled the night of July 15, when several civilians were killed during an escalation in the ATO area.

   "Yesterday night, I lost eight of my soldiers from the artillery fire of the Russian and Russian-backed terrorist troops and 16 Ukrainian soldiers were wounded just for one day. And dozens of the civilians were killed and wounded. This is the reality of the Russian aggression against Ukraine," the president said.

   Earlier, in an interview with CNN, commenting on Russia's refusal to support the establishment of an international tribunal on MH17 downing, the president said that this position is predictable and anyone who wants to prevent the creation of the tribunal takes the responsibility on oneself.