Ukraine War Update - 16 February 2015

Monday, February 16, 2015  6:40 AM PST

Weird convoy leaves Ukraine

   (Zik) --- A weird convoy has left Donetsk today, whooshing past the checkpoints to the Russian border, military expert Dmytro Tymchuk writes in Facebook Feb. 16. The convoy included 7 jeeps, 1 APC, 12 armoured buses with darkened windows, 6 Ural trucks and a pick-up truck with a machine gun. The convoy didn’t stop at any road checkpoints.

   The convoy included 7 jeeps, 1 APC, 12 armoured buses with darkened windows, 6 Ural trucks and a pick-up truck with a machine gun.

   The convoy didn’t stop at any road checkpoints.

Monday, February 16, 2015  4:55 AM PST

Terrorists shelled positions of Ukrainian army near Shyrokyne with tanks two times Sunday; five Azov soldiers killed

   (Censor.NET) --- Illegal armed gangs do not abide by the Minsk agreements and continue to shell the positions of the Ukrainian army with heavy weapons.

   This was announced by the press service of the Mariupol Defense Staff, Censor.NET reports.
   According to the Staff, the terrorists shelled the ATO forces' positions near Shyrokyne, the Donetsk region, using tanks for two times Sunday. The losses of the Ukrainian army amounted to five soldiers, all of them volunteers from the Azov regiment, and 22 persons wounded, four of them being from the Ukrainian Army, 18 from the Azov regiment.
   Another shelling occurred Monday night at 1 a.m. at the same village; this time small arms were used.
   An intelligence drone was spotted near the Kalchyk river on Sunday evening, the press service reported.

   The terrorists started a mortar shelling of eastern outskirts of Shyrokyne village at 8:20 a.m. Monday; the shelling continued as of noon Monday, the Defense Staff informed. Other positions of the M sector, which refers to Mariupol area, have been relatively calm. Soldiers keep their positions without opening fire and abiding by the Minsk agreements.

Monday, February 16, 2015  4:41 AM PST

"Life News" exposed Russian Federation Army's 136th Motorized Rifle Brigade in Debaltseve.

   (Censor.NET) --- The Russian propaganda medium flashed a Russian army regular detachment participating in battles in the Donbas in its story about Debaltseve.

   Censor.NET reports citing informnapalm.org.

   "The Russian "Life News" propaganda channel showed an image of equipment with the military symbol of the 136th OMSBr (Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade) in their story called "The situation report from Debaltseve as of Feb.15, 2015." It is noteworthy that soldiers from the 136th Motorized Rifle Brigade (military base No. 63354, located in Dagestan, Buynaksk, Botlikh village) were repeatedly mentioned in the records exposing their presence in the Donbas. A lot of comments with condolences were seen in the Russian VKontakte social network on the page devoted to this detachment probably due to "military exercises" at the border with Ukraine," the news outlet notes.

Monday, February 16, 2015  3:48 AM PST

Five Ukrainian soldiers killed and 25 injured in the Donbas on Sunday - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- Five Ukrainian military were killed and 25 more injured Sunday in the zone of the anti-terrorist operation area.

   ATO representative Andrii Lysenko told at a briefing on Monday, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainski Novyny.

   "We lost five our soldiers and another 25 were injured during the past 24 hours," he said.

   According to him, the wounded servicemen receive necessary medical treatment.

   Also, according to Mariupol Defense Staff report on the situation in the south of Donbas, the terrorists shelled the Ukrainian troops' positions near the village of Shyrokyne from tanks twice yesterday. Five Azov regiment servicemen were killed as a result.

Monday, February 16, 2015  2:52 AM PST

Fierce fighting reported near Shyrokine, east of Mariupol: 50 gunmen killed and 300 wounded

   KIEV, February 16 (Ukrinform).--- Ukrainian troops are fiercely fighting in the vicinity of Mariupol for the village of Shyrokyne defending it from the Russian-terrorist forces who have been trying to capture it for the last five days despite the declared ceasefire.

   A National Guard soldier stationed in the area of Mariupol, the port city 95 kilometers south of Donetsk, told an Ukrinform correspondent.

   "Fierce battles are raging in the village of Shyrokine now," he said.

   According to the soldier, terrorists are trying to capture the village; however, they get a worthy response from the Ukrainian military. About two-thirds of the village is under control by Ukrainian forces while gunmen control the rest.

   People from the Russian Caucasus regions were reported among the Russian-terrorist forces that assault Shyrokyne, perhaps Chechens sent by Kadyrov.

   Shyrokyne is defended by Ukrainian special operations police units and National Guard soldiers along with marines, soldiers of Azov regiment and Donbas volunteer units who came as reinforcement.

   According to the source, Ukrainian military in the battle for Shyrokyne lost five soldiers and about 17 were wounded yesterday. However, the loss of Russian-terrorist forces was many times greater, according to intercepted radio conversations of gunmen, they lost over 50 persons yesterday and about 300 were wounded. In addition, five gunmen were taken prisoner.

   Yesterday, one KrAZ truck of Ukrainian troops forces was burned near Shyrokyne but the Ukrainian military destroyed two tanks, one APV, one truck and one howitzer of Russian-terrorist forces.

   Ukrainian soldiers' morale is high, said the National Guard soldier.

Monday, February 16, 2015  1:55 AM PST

Terrorists not complying with cease-fire: number of Debaltseve shellings increased - ATO press center

   (Censor.NET) --- Terrorists do not comply with the cease-fire and continue to shell Ukrainian army and attempt attacks.

   This was announced by the ATO press center Monday morning, Censor.NET reports.
   "Analyzing the first day of the truce, we can state that illegal armed gangs do not abide by the agreements reached [in Minsk]. Starting from the beginning of the silent regime, the enemy used MLRSes for 31 times, tanks for four times, and artillery and mortars - for 56 times.
   "The number of shellings of Ukrainian positions at the Debaltseve direction increased compared to previous days. Over the past 24 hours, the terrorists shelled Debaltseve and its vicinity using all kinds of weapons.
   "At this direction, Debaltseve was hit the most, including 19 shellings with Grads; Chornukhyne was attacked three times and shelled with Grads four times. The terrorists used Grads and artillery to shell the cities and villages of Popasna, Sanzharivka, Zolote, and Kamianka.
   "According to operational data, the terrorists received an order from their command to seize Debaltseve at any cost, and to provoke Uk

Monday, February 16, 2015  1:04 AM PST

Russian troops keep committing attacks at Debaltseve salient. Situation report as of Feb. 16, 2.00 a.m. by Butusov

   (Censor.NET) --- According to Censor.NET sources, five Ukrainian soldiers were killed and more than a dozen injured on Debaltseve bridgehead during the first day of ‘truce’.

   Censor.NET Chief Editor Yurii Butusov wrote on Facebook.

   The report reads: "There is still no sign of 'armistice' in the 'C' sector. The Ukrainian artillery kept silence all day. Meanwhile, the Russian detachments continue conducting attacks supported by tanks and artillery through the entire bridgehead perimeter. The enemy assault teams are attacking Debaltseve. The Russian-terrorist troops conduct active hostilities near Nyzhnie Lozove and Novohryhorivka villages trying to cut the only road that connects our troops deployed on the bridgehead with our front line near the villages of Luhanske and Artemivsk.

   "Our troops are repulsing enemy attacks using small arms and rocket launchers.

   "The enemy controls the area between Lozove and Kalynivka villages which allows holding the village of Lohvynove and repulsing sporadic and still poorly organized retaliatory attacks of the Ukrainian detachments.

   "307.9 and 303.4 heights, which provide domination over the rest of the highway, have the key tactical importance in this situation. The long term operations in the area are impossible without reliable control of these heights. "The road of life" became direct fire engagement area for the Russian detachments. Nevertheless, several Ukrainian convoys with reinforcements and provisioning have broken through into Debaltseve over the last two days and the wounded were managed to be taken from the city yesterday.

   "There is no encirclement at the moment. However, the enemy has concentrated substantial forces to close the mousetrap and cut off the last remaining way for provisioning, which is already too unsafe. If the Ukrainian command does not take drastic measures, the encirclement will be closed.

   "If the ban on opening the artillery fire is unilaterally observed by Ukraine, if the troops' rotation is not held and mobile reserves are not accumulated at the bridgehead, it will be imp

Monday, February 16, 2015  12:13 AM PST

Rebels given stern orders to capture Debaltseve at any cost

   (Zik) --- According to intelligence reports, Donbas rebels got stern orders from their Russian masters to capture Debaltseve, an important railway hub, at any cost, Ukraine army spokesman writes in Facebook Feb. 16.

   “The shelling of our positions near Debaltseve has intensified, with the enemy firing 88 times on Debaltseve and nearby villages,” the spokesman said.

   Debaltseve was shelled 19 times using Grad missile batteries, while Chornukhyno was shelled 4 times and attacked by infantry.

   Meanwhile, the intensity of shelling Ukrainian positions in Luhansk and Donetsk areas has decreased as the enemy used only small arms and bazookas, the spokesman said.