Ukraine War Update - 2 March 2015

Monday, March 2, 2015  8:30 AM PST

Ukrainian MPs asks Savchenko to stop hunger strike

   KIEV, March 2 (Ukrinform). --- The Ukrainian Parliament has appealed to Nadiya Savchenko to stop the hunger strike.

   329 MPs have voted for the proposal, voiced by Yuri Lutsenko from the rostrum.

   "We need such heroes alive," he said.

   MPs have called Savchenko to stop the hunger strike and keep her life for the struggle.

Monday, March 2, 2015  8:29 AM PST

Ukraine starts pumping gas into underground storage

   (Interfax) --- Ukraine has started pumping gas into underground storage facilities on February 27, gas transmission system operator Ukrtransgaz said.

   The country pumped 16.25 million cubic meters (mcm) of gas underground on February 27 and withdrew 610,000 cubic meters. It pumped 27.34 mcm underground on February 28 and withdrew 20,000 cubic meters. In other words, gas stocks grew by 42.96 mcm in the last two days of winter.

   Naftogaz Ukrainy CEO Andriy Kobolev said on Friday that Ukraine intended to start pumping gas into underground storage facilities, indicating that the country has got through the 2014/2015 winter season successfully.

   "We start pumping gas underground today, although we usually do this at the beginning of April," he said.

   Ukraine is able to do this thanks to current consumption levels and the availability of sufficient gas volumes in trunk pipelines, he said.

   Ukraine started to withdraw less gas from underground storage as mild weather set in at the end of February.

Monday, March 2, 2015  8:12 AM PST

Poroshenko wants to increase army to 250,000 men

   KIEV, March 2 (Ukrinform). --- President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on Monday has submitted a draft law to increase the size of the Ukrainian armed forces to the Verkhovna Rada.

   The corresponding bill No. 2269 was registered in the Verkhovna Rada on Monday, according to parliament's web site.

   According to the bill, "In 2012, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the size of the Armed Forces of 184 thousand people. From the beginning of the special period and taking into account all threats to the national security of Ukraine in the military sphere, which could be long-term, two control operational commands, 11 teams, four regiments, 18 battalions, 16 separate companies and 13 platoons for various purposes will be formed in the Ukrainian armed forces," reads the explanatory note to the draft law.

   The draft law stipulates to approve the size of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the amount that does not exceed 250 thousand people, including 204 thousand servicemen.

Monday, March 2, 2015  6:40 AM PST

Terrorists return their heavy weapons to the front line in the night - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- In the night, the terrorists return their heavy weapons to positions from which they were previously withdrawn.

   This was announced by the ATO speaker Andrii Lysenko at a briefing on Monday, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainska Pravda.

   Lysenko noted that in the night, the terrorist return heavy weapons to their previous positions. "In all places where terrorists show withdrawal of heavy weapons, that is either redeployment to major directions where attacks are planned or withdrawal and night return of the heavy weapons," the Colonel said.
   Regarding the Ukrainian party's withdrawal of the weapons, Lysenko said the process continued. "If the situation does not deteriorate, the Ukrainian party will continue to withdraw the heavy weapons. But it is early days," Lysenko said.
   He explained that the terrorists violated the cease-fire. "We see it every day as they violate the cease-fire, including with heavy weapons, which should have been withdrawn from the front line," he noted.
   The Colonel explained that the terrorists form large groups at the Avdiivka, Luhansk, and Mariupol directions.

   He noted that a terrorists battalion technical group reinforced with armoured vehicles is located in the Mariupol sector.
   It was announced earlier that UN reported about Russia sending more weapons and manpower to Donbas.

Monday, March 2, 2015  5:36 AM PST

Up to 600 Russian mercenaries, 20 tanks sent to Novoazovsk

   KIEV, March 2 (Ukrinform). --- Russian-backed militants in Donbas are continuing to redeploy their tactical groups in coastal areas, near Novoazovsk and north of the town.

   Head of the Information Resistance group Dmytro Tymchuk wrote this on his Facebook page.

   According to Tymchuk, the militant tactical group consists of 550-600 Russian mercenaries and soldiers of the Russian Federation, 20 tanks, 33 armoured combat vehicles, 28 artillery pieces, and 16 multiple rocket launcher systems.

   "Before [seeing] this large group we saw small tactical groups of the DPR, mostly platoons, but several groups of up to a company. These groups have a small amount of heavy armoured vehicles and act as light infantry as a part of the tactical groups of the Russian-backed militants," Tymchuk added.

Monday, March 2, 2015  5:30 AM PST

Terrorists pull back heavy weapons to touchline at night

   (Zik) --- Donbas terrorists pull back to the touchline the heavy artillery withdrawn during the day, Ukraine army spokesman said March 2,

   “The movements of heavy weapons by the rebels are either redeployment to other areas or pseudo retreat at daytime followed by the return to the touchline at night,” the army spokesman said.

   The official accused the terrorists of spurning the cease-fire. “They keep on shelling our positions from the heavy artillery they have allegedly withdrawn,” he said.

Monday, March 2, 2015  5:09 AM PST

One Ukrainian soldier killed, four wounded over the past 24 hours - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- This was announced by the ATO speaker Andrii Lysenko at a briefing on Monday, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainski Novyny.

   "Over the past 24 hours, one soldier was killed and four were wounded in the area of the anti-terrorist operation," Lysenko said.

Monday, March 2, 2015  3:01 AM PST

Russia continues sending advanced weapons and mercenaries to Donbas - UN

   (Censor.NET) --- Heavy weaponry and foreign militants are being sent to the areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions controlled by illegal military formations, including from the Russian Federation.

   Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Armen Harutyunyan announced in Kiev Monday, Censor.NET reports citing Ukrinform.

   "There are also credible reports on continued flow of heavy weaponry and foreign militants, including from the Russian Federation, to the areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions controlled by the armed groups," he said.

   Harutyunyan noted that all the parties increasingly used heavy and sophisticated weaponry, including in shelling of Mariupol over the period covered by the report.

   According to him, the indiscriminate attacks were launched on the densely populated areas, controlled either by the Ukrainian forces or by illegal armed groups until the cease-fire implementation in eastern Ukraine. "Civilians continue to die even after the cease-fire, although the death toll is much lower," Harutyunyan said.

Monday, March 2, 2015  1:43 AM PST

Ukrainian servicemen suppress powerful attacks of terrorists near Horlivka and Krasnohorivka - InfoResist

   (Censor.NET) --- The terrorists’ attempts to force Ukrainian troops out from their positions by conducting offensive operations along with shelling from barrel and rocket artillery were recorded on the section of the front, which stretches from Krasnohorivka village to the south-western vicinity of Horlivka.

Dmytro Tymchuk wrote on Facebook citing the Information Resistance group situation report, Censor.NET informs.

   "These attempts are currently repulsed by the Ukrainian troops but the enemy continues to strengthen its capabilities in this area. The Russian-terrorist forces detachments deployed in this location (the task force consisting of 500 people deployed near the village of Yasynuvata and reserve components consisting of 2 000 people totally, which operate from Kuibyshev and Kiev regions of Donetsk city) are receiving reinforcements and equipment," he wrote.

   In addition Tymchuk noted that four terrorists' armoured units were recorded in the area being supported by three artillery groups, discovered earlier.

   "The total number of tanks concentrated by the enemy on this relatively narrow area exceeded 25 units. Several dozen armoured combat vehicles (more than 50 units) were also recorded," he added.

Monday, March 2, 2015  1:07 AM PST

Terrorists shelled Pisky and Avdiivka at night, two storm attempts recorded yesterday - ATO press center

   (Censor.NET) --- The terrorists shelled the Ukrainian army positions four times at the Donetsk direction at night.

   ATO speaker Anatolii Stelmakh announced, Censor.NET reports.

   The ATO press center latest report reads: "The enemy committed four fire strikes in the anti-terrorist operation area at the Donetsk direction at night of March 2

   "In particular, the terrorists fired at Pisky village (the Donetsk region) from small arms at about 9:55 p.m. and 10:20 p.m. March 1.

   "The artillery strike impacted ATO forces' positions near Avdiivka village (the Donetsk region) at 10:55 p.m.

   "The ATO troops' detachments were attacked by a sniper in Pisky village at 2:20 a.m. Monday.

   "The cease-fire violations were not recorded at Mariupol, Luhansk, and Debaltseve directions.

   "The terrorists conducted 32 assaults on the ATO forces' positions totally March 1, including 14 artillery and mortar strikes, 27 attacks from small arms and rocket launchers; the terrorists also tried to storm the ATO forces' positions near Avdiivka and Debaltseve," the report reads.

Monday, March 2, 2015  12:31 AM PST

Ukrainian MP Honcharenko said he was abused and intimidated in Moscow detention center

   (Censor.NET) --- The Verkhovna Rada deputy Oleksii Honcharenko, who was detained by Moscow police on Sunday March 1 during a march in memory of recently assassinated Russian oppositionist Boris Nemtsov, made a statement of abuse and intimidation in Moscow detention center.

   Censor.NET reports citing UNIAN.

   "They have just released me. A court hearing will be tomorrow," he said.

   The Verkhovna Rada deputy says he is accused of a failure to obey a police officer. "Though there was no failure to obey a police officer from my side," he said.

   Honcharenko stressed that he had been beaten after detention. He asked to call the doctor, but it was not done. "They were trying to make me sign certain protocols, attempting to intimidate me, saying that I would never be released and there was no Maidan here, and that the person who was interrogating me had got a blister on his finger from the trigger," Honcharenko said.

   "I do not know who they were. There were about 15 persons there. There was one FSB officer, police officers were also present there. All of them were dressed in civilian clothes," he added.

   According to him, the court will consider his case at 3 p.m. Moscow time on Monday. Honcharenko faces a fine worth RUR 1,000, or 15-day administrative arrest.

   Besides, according to Ukrainski Novyny, Honcharenko stated over the phone on air of the "Podrobytsi Tyzhnia" TV program on Inter TV channel that the Russian law enforcement officers treated him uncivilized. "Concerning their treatment - it was barbaric ... They knew who I was, but one of the officers just threw my diplomatic passport away and said that it's just a piece of paper in Russia," the Ukrainian MP said.

   Earlier, Ukrainian MP Oleksii Honcharenko was detained in downtown Moscow during a memorial march on Sunday, honouring recently killed Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov. "I wasn't shouting mottos or carrying posters or flags. They detained me just for my t-shirt," he said.