Ukraine War Update - 6 July 2015

Monday, July 6, 2015  8:53 AM PDT

Germany to take part in military exercises in Ukraine – media

   (Interfax) --- The German Army, the Bundeswehr, will participate in two military exercises in Ukraine this summer, Deutsche Welle radio reported on Sunday.

   The exercise will involve "individual personnel" taking part in the ground forces exercise Rapid Trident as well as the marine exercise Sea Breeze, involving NATO and the United States, in summer-autumn 2015.

   The Bundeswehr took part in the same exercises in 2014 despite the conflict between Russian backed separatists and government forces in eastern Ukraine.

   Rapid Trident is scheduled to take place in Yavoriv in western Ukraine, 50 kilometers from Lviv, and is expected to involve 1,800 troops from 18 countries, a significant increase on the 1,200 that took part last year.

   The exercise will be American led and is expected to last 11 days and will launch after an official ceremony on July 20.

   Sea Breeze, a joint U.S.-Ukraine operation, is expected to last from August 31 to September 12 in the Black Sea. Up to 2,500 troops are to take part in the exercises.

Monday, July 6, 2015  8:51 AM PDT

Kiev has no traffic police anymore. It will fully transfer authority to the patrol police till the end of week - First Deputy Interior Minister

   (Censor.NET) --- The Kiev traffic police will hand over authority to the new patrol police officers by the end of the week.

   This was said at the briefing by First Deputy Interior Minister Eka Zguladze, Censor.NET reports citing lb.ua.

   Deputy Interior Minister Eka Zguladze said the patrol cars move with permanently flashing rooftop lights to show the presence of law enforcement officers on the streets.

   "The visual presence of police on the streets minimizes number of crimes," the deputy minister said at a press conference.

   She added that there is a certain problem with the rooftop lights because the Japanese have equipped most cars only with blue flasher lamps. The Ministry of Internal Affairs is negotiating with the supplier that the blue rooftop lights to be gradually changed to red and blue ones.

   Zguladze also noted that the traffic police do not operate in Kiev anymore with the beginning of the operation of the patrol police. "The traffic police are no longer operating in Kiev. If they are still sometimes spotted in the city - it is our inner movement. The traffic police loses its function and transfers its authority to the patrol police by the end of the week," she added.

Monday, July 6, 2015  7:44 AM PDT

Ukraine and Russia agree withdrawal of heavy weapons from the line of contact in the Donbas - former Ukraine’s Defense Minister

   (Censor.NET) --- Ukraine and the Russian Federation are agreeing upon withdrawal of heavy weapons: cannons of calibers heavier than 100-mm, mortars and tanks of calibers heavier than 85-mm along the entire line of contact in the east of Ukraine at the maximum range of the corresponding weapons.

   Former Defense Minister Yevhen Marchuk, who represents Ukraine in the subgroup on security of the tripartite contact group, wrote on Facebook, Censor.NET reports.

   "There are some advantages but the final agreement still requires a lot of efforts. There will be work in Minsk tomorrow," Marchuk wrote.

   According to him, the work on the reconcilement of withdrawal of weapons is done simultaneously with the negotiations on the demilitarization of the village of Shyrokyne located east of Mariupol. In particular, the withdrawal of heavy weapons to the distance of 15 km from the center of the village by both sides, that is, the creation of a 30-kilometer security zone, is currently agreed, Marchuk said.

Monday, July 6, 2015  4:45 AM PDT

Saboteur group headed by 20-year old militant Kardynal detained by SBU in Kharkiv region. 

   (Censor.NET) --- The Security Service of Ukraine detained a saboteur group in Kharkiv region. It consisted of three persons with its leader being a "DPR" militant.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this is announced by the SBU press service.

   "Since last September a 20-year old resident of Kharkiv region have been a member of one of the illegal armed units of the "DPR" terrorist organisation, calling themselves Cossacks. A militant nicknamed Cardinal served as a scout of a sabotage and reconnaissance group, participating in fightings against the defenders of the Donetsk airport," the statement reads.

   It is noted that on his return to Kharkiv region at the beginning of the year, the criminal got the job from terrorists to collect and transmit intelligence information on the location and movement of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as to recruit people to carry out acts of sabotage in the region. To accomplish the task,

two local residents were involved.

   "Additionally, with a view to enrich themselves the criminals tried to organize traffic in firearms and ammunition, which were supposed to come from the "DPR" militants," the SBU reported.

   A criminal proceeding under Part 1, Art. 110 (encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine) and Part 1, Art. 263 (illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine has been commenced.

   The investigation continues.

Monday, July 6, 2015  4:44 AM PDT

Three Ukrainian soldiers wounded in Donbas in last day

   (UNIAN) --- No Ukrainian soldiers were killed but three were injured in the Donbas conflict zone over the last 24 hours, presidential administration spokesman for ATO Colonel Andriy Lysenko said at a briefing in Kiev on Monday, according to an UNIAN correspondent.

   "Over the last day, we haven’t lost any Ukrainian soldiers, but three were injured as a result of military clashes," he said.

   As UNIAN reported earlier, on July 5, from 18:00 to 24:00, Russian-terrorist forces brought Ukrainian troops under fire over 20 times.

Monday, July 6, 2015  2:26 AM PDT

Drone hit over Mariupol water area, - M sector press officer

   (Censor.NET) --- A drone operated by "DPR" militants was brought down last night in Mariupol.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the M sector press officer Yaroslav Chepurnyi to 0629 website.
   According to him, last night the air defense recorded a flight of a large drone over the sea near Mariupol. After being fired the drone caught fire and crashed into the water. A recovery operation is taking place at the moment.

Monday, July 6, 2015  12:51 AM PDT

Militants shelled Mykolaivka, Chermalyk, Hnutove and Staroihnativka from 120-mm mortars, - M sector press officer

   (Censor.NET) --- There are no backgrounds for the withdrawal of 100-mm artillery from M sector with ATO soldiers being apprehensive of getting trapped. Also in M sector several terrorist attacks of the occupied territory were recorded last night.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the M sector press officer Yaroslav Chepurnyi on the air of 112 Ukraine TV channel.
   "This is an issue (are there any backgrounds for withdrawing 100-mm artillery - ed.) I can not comment. The issue will be addressed at a higher level, but it seems that no such backgrounds exist so far," the sector M press officer said.

   According to Chepurnyi, the soldiers of the National Guard and the Armed Forces of Ukraine who are now in Shyrokine (Donetsk region) think as follows:  "We can not trust militants, and all these measures they announce, and, kind of, try to adhere, are a trap to certain extent."

   According to him, the whole of yesterday militants shelled the ATO positions near Mykolaivka, Chermalyk, Hnutove and Staroihnativka. The enemy used 120-mm and 82 mm mortars.

   "I would also like to note that yesterday several provocative actions were recorded: explosions on the occupied territory with unknown origination. For example, yesterday at 11:20 p.m. in Shyrokine a single explosion occurred and we attribute this to the fact that an animal could run across an explosive device. Two shots also were heard near the village of Oktiabr, at 10:00 p.m. 10 bombs fell there, and at 4:10 p.m. there were three tank rounds," Chepurnyi said.
   He added that from 00:00 neither in Shyrokine nor in other M sector settlements the Ukrainian troops positions have been shelled.

Sunday, July 5, 2015  23:56 PDT

Security service detained 14 people aimed at a series of terrorist acts in southern Ukraine, - Ukrinform

   (Censor.NET) --- During the third phase of the anti-terrorist operation by the Security Service of Ukraine, a terrorist group of Odessa and Mykolaiv residents has been neutralized.

   Ad reported by Censor.NET citing Ukrinform, this was announced by the SBU press service.

   "14 people aiming at a number of terrorist attacks on vital infrastructure objects in Odessa and Mykolaiv regions have been detained. In particular, they planned explosions on railway tracks near volunteer centers, bridges and military units," the SBU noted.

   Searches revealed explosive devices with parts, more than 10 kilos of explosive, electric detonators, metal balls, pictures of places where explosions were planned, symbols of the so-called "Novorossia" and relevant press.

   "After implementation [of the terrorist acts - ed.], one of the leaders of the terrorist organization planned to leave for a Western Europe country in order to report to supervisors from among the representatives of the special services of the Russian Federation," the statement reads.

   According to the SBU, the group is also involved in the bombings on the railway tracks in Odessa. We are carrying out investigative activities, as well as tracking other persons involved in the activities of the group calling itself "Odesskoe podpolye" ('Odessa underground resistance' - ed.) coordinated by FSB agents stationed in the unrecognized Transnistria.

Sunday, July 5, 2015  21:18 PDT

Russia naval reconnaissance chief of staff killed in Donbas

   (Zik) --- A high-ranking officer of Russia’s naval reconnaissance was killed in Donbas, Novoazovsk. The information was confirmed by Ukraine army spokesman, The Segodnya reported July 5.

   The spokesman did not specify the circumstances of the killing.

   Earlier, some media reported that the Russian officer had been killed by a sniper who used an extra powerful rifle.