Ukraine War Update - 11 August 2015

Tuesday, August 11, 2015  7:04 AM PDT

Army to get 40,000 cars and 300 armoured vehicles this year

   KIEV, August 11 (Ukrinform). --- By the end of this year, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive 40,000 units of road transport and 300 units of armoured vehicles.

   Deputy Defense Minister Petro Mekhed said this at a press briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

   "Till the end of 2015, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will receive over 40,000 units of road transport and 300 units of armoured vehicles," he said.

In addition, according to him, the Armed Forces will get over 30,000 missiles and ammunition, more than 300 observation devices and over 3,000 small arms.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015  6:47 AM PDT

Three more waves of partial mobilization possible, Deputy Defense Minister says

   (Censor.NET) --- Deputy Defense Minister Petro Mekhed admits that three more waves of partial mobilization will be held depending on the development of the situation in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) area.

   He stated at a briefing in Kiev, Censor.NET reports citing UNIAN.

   "The seventh, eighth, and ninth (waves of partial mobilization - Ed.) are possible depending on the development of the situation. But we are now taking every effort to increase the number of soldiers ready to sign the contract," he said.

   According to Mekhed, for this purpose the General Staff is considering an option to make the term of contract negotiable while it is fixed at the moment, which reduces the number of candidates ready to be enrolled.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015  6:09 AM PDT

British military instructors drilled thousand Ukrainian soldiers, Ukraine’s Defense Minister says

   (Censor.NET) --- The UK has been providing support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine since the early days of the Russian aggression.

   Defense Minister, Colonel-General Stepan Poltorak said during the press availability after negotiations with the official delegation headed by UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon Aug. 11, Censor.NET informs citing the press office of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

   "The UK was the first country, which offered Ukraine its resources to train military experts. The British military instructors have trained about a thousand Ukrainian soldiers in the fields of combined arms teams operations, reconnaissance, medical and logistical support as of today," Poltorak said.

   He noted the contribution of the UK Adviser to the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff of Ukraine in creation of necessary conditions for the operation of volunteers in the Defense Ministry as well as the introduction of electronic trading in government procurement of the Ministry of Defense.

   The Defense Minister of Ukraine noted that the Ukrainian and British parties have reached agreement on expanding bilateral defense cooperation during negotiations.

   "The possibility of creating a joint school to train logistics experts as well as increasing the number of training courses for the Ukrainian troops was considered," he said.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015  5:29 AM PDT

Ukrainian border guards detained lost militant at Berezove control post

   (Censor.NET) --- Ukrainian border guards detained a member of illegal armed gangs who got lost near Berezove control post.

   As reported by Censor.NET citing the press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, the guarding border squad noticed a VAZ vehicle near the post. The vehicle approached the post, then started to quickly turn around, but was immediately blocked.
   The vehicle was driven by a man in military uniform with an illegal armed gang insignia. Another passenger was a woman from Shakhtarsk town.
   Upon checkup, the border guards found the driver's military card of an illegal armed gang and 12 and 7.62 caliber ammunition. It was established that the persons got lost and approached the control post, but tried to get away after having seen the flag and Ukrainian symbols.

   The border guards have transferred the detained persons to the Security Service of Ukraine in the Donetsk region.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015  5:19 AM PDT

Number of Russian troops in and near Ukraine

   (Zik) --- At present, there are about 10,000 Russian regular troops fighting in Donbas, general staff spokesman told Kanal 5 TV Aug. 10.

   Another 50,000 Russian troops are deployed near the border with Ukraine.

   There are about 30,000 rebels in Donbas.

   Aug. 9, saw the record number of shellings of Ukraine army positions. The Russian/rebel troops violated the ceasefire 127 times, the official said.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015  5:19 AM PDT

Ukraine army allowed to use heavy artillery to repulse enemy shelling

   (Zik) --- In case of enemy shelling from tanks, Grad missiles and heavy artillery Ukrainian army was allowed to use the same means to retaliate, general staff spokesman announced Aug. 11.

   Ukraine has informed the OSCE and its western partners about the flagrant violations by rebels of the Minsk agreements since the rebels continue to use heavy artillery, tanks and Grad missiles they had to pull out from the 30-km zone under the agreements, UNIAN says.

   Ukraine servicemen have complained that they have to counter enemy shelling with 82-mm mortars and close-range artillery pieces, something that leads to a large number of casualties from the enemy fire.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015  3:42 AM PDT

One Ukrainian soldier killed, 13 wounded yesterday, - ATO speaker

   (Censor.NET) --- One Ukrainian soldier was killed and 13 were wounded in the course of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) on Aug. 10.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the Presidential Administration representative on ATO matters Oleksandr Motuzianyk at a traditional briefing.

   "Over the past day, one Ukrainian soldier was killed in combat activities, 13 were wounded," he informed.
   According to Motuzianyk, the losses were incurred at the Donetsk and Mariupol directions, mostly near Horlivka, Donetsk and Starohnativka.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015  2:07 AM PDT

Ukrainian soldiers are allowed to use artillery in response to militants’ attacks, - General Staff

   (Censor.NET) --- The ATO forces were granted permission to use firepower if attacked by militants.

   Speaker of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Vladyslav Selezniov confirmed to UNIAN, Censor.NET reports.

   According to Selezniov, Ukraine has informed the OSCE and Western partners of the Minsk Agreement violations committed by the militants in the Donbas and reserved the right to properly counter the attacks, including with the use of artillery.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015  12:00 AM PDT

72nd Brigade's positions intensively shelled, - President's press secretary Tseholko

   (Censor.NET) --- The press secretary of Ukrainian president Sviatoslav Tseholko has reported about the beginning of a new powerful shelling on the positions of the 72nd Brigade of the Ukrainian armed forces.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by Tseholko on his Facebook page.
   "At 9:50 p.m. pro-Russian militants supported by Russian military began intensive shelling of the 72nd Brigade's positions from 152-mm artillery. This was reported to the president by the Chief of Staff Viktor Muzhenko. President Poroshenko instructed the General Staff and the Defense Ministry to act according to the Minsk agreements and prevent the onset of the enemy," the message reads.

Monday, August 10, 2015  11:02 AM PDT

Night attack frustrated, militants continued fire in Donetsk and Mariupol directions, - ATO press center

   (Censor.NET) --- This day in the ATO area saw Ukrainian troops resisting pro-Russian terrorists near Starohnativka.

   As reported by Censor.NET, this was announced by the ATO press center.
   The report reads: "Following a successful counter-strike by our troops militants retreated. Having taken strategic heights, Ukrainian fighters hold positions along the demarcation line and under the Minsk agreements. However, the enemy wasn't forced to silence in the Mariupol direction. During 11 hours, militants were repeatedly firing Grad rocket systems on our troops positions in Starohnativka".
   "It was also hot at night in the Donetsk region. At around 1 a.m. occupants used 120-mm mortars and 122-mm artillery twice to shell Vodiane. Marinka and Opytne fell under tank fire.
   "In the Artemivsk direction, around midnight, the enemy fired 152-mm artillery. Only during daylight hours, Russian-terrorist groups abated their activity," the press center stresses.
   "In total, from midnight to 6 p.m. militants violated cease-fire 37 times. At the same time, according to our operational data, the enemy is preparing for provocations seeking to blame the Ukrainian Armed Forces on escalation. At the moment, about 200 Ukrainian military outfits with corresponding chevrons and stripes are being manufactured in Sverdlovsk, the Luhansk region. Given the fact militants have repeatedly terrorized local population wearing Ukrainian uniform, it can be assumed terrorists will resort to such tactics again," the press center resumes.