Ukraine War Update - 12 August 2015

Wednesday, August 12, 2015  8:03 AM PDT

 “LPR” terrorists again flashed APCs that belonged to Russian 23rd Brigade in Samara, - investigative journalist.

   (Censor.NET) --- There is yet another proof of heavy military equipment delivery by the Russian Federation to militants in the Donbas.

Censor.NET reports citing Ukrainian investigative blogger Anton Pavlushko.

  "The video of yesterday's attack committed by the militants clearly shows tactical symbols that relate to Samara 23rd Brigade (23rd separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade, military base 65349, Samara, Russian Federation - Ed.).

   "The Ukrainians captured an APC just like this one a year ago - with a red square and three dots and the "ЛНР" ("LPR") inscription. I wrote later that the separatists were getting APCs from 15th and 23rd Brigades' military bases in Samara. These military units were receiving the new Russian BTR-82 APCs at that time. But we have guessed over a year where the old ones were brought to. The same armoured personnel carriers were often exposed in the past in the pictures taken by Gennady Dubovoi, they also were used by terrorist Motorola in offensives, etc.," Pavlushko wrote.

   "Someone was obviously sitting in Samara and disposing those APCs, someone had delivered them to the Donbas, etc. The number of people involved in the conflict on the Russian side is too great to hide everything. Someone will eventually not be decorated with a medal, will not receive the promised apartment, will not get the promised triple salary, etc. And those "Starkov's" offended by their fatherland will start talking," Pavlushko summed up.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015  7:50 AM PDT

Aftermath of Krasnohorivka night shelling.

   (Censor.NET) --- Donetsk Police Head Viacheslav Abroskin published consequences of shelling of the village of Krasnohorivka by terrorists.

"The consequences of a night shelling of Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region," he wrote on his Facebook page, Censor.NET reports.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015  4:25 AM PDT

One Ukrainian soldier killed, three wounded in Donbas in last day

   (24Today) --- Ukrainian military officials report on frontline casualties

   UNIAN: One Ukrainian soldier was killed and another three were wounded in the Donbas conflict zone in the last 24 hours, presidential administration spokesman for the Anti-Terrorist Operation Colonel Andriy Lysenko said at a briefing in Kiev on Wednesday.

   "In the last day, we lost one Ukrainian soldier, and another three were injured as a result of military clashes near the villages of Stanytsia Luhanska and Starohnativka," Lysenko said.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015  3:42 AM PDT

Russian mercenaries committed 15 assaults on Ukrainian positions in sector M yesterday, - Mariupol defense HQ

   (Censor.NET) --- The situation within the M sector has been stably tense lately.

   Censor.NET reports citing the Mariupol defense HQ press center.

   The enemy committed 15 attacks on Ukrainian positions in the sector M. The terrorists used MLRS Grad four times, 122-mm and 152-mm artillery - eight times, 120-mm mortars - twice, and small arms - once.

   The enemy assaulted the following locations: Starohnativka was fired at six times, Bohdanivka - five times, Chermalyk - twice, Viktoria - once, and Novohryhorivka - once.

   The ATO soldiers were forced to fire back five times to suppress the intensity of the enemy's attack.

   One hostile UAV was spotted in sector M yesterday.

   There is information on six attacks on the ATO forces' positions committed today: the Ukrainian positions in Starohnativka (four attacks), Bohdanivka and Hranitne have been shelled from MLRS Grad, 152-mm self-propelled guns and 120-mm mortars.

   "Despite the intensification of hostilities on the part of the enemy, the ATO troops have sufficient forces and facilities to hold the Mariupol direction. All units are on their positions fulfilling their duties," the headquarters noted.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015  3:12 AM PDT

Russia provokes Ukraine to intensify fighting – Volodymyr Fesenko

   (Zik) --- Ukraine must not fall for Russia’s provocations to intensify the fighting in Donbas, political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko told Kanal 24 Aug. 13.

   “First, Ukraine is provoked to give Russia an excuse to launch a major offensive. Recall how Hitler provoked the Poles.

   Second, let’s don’t forget Ilovajsk and Debaltseve encirclements. Ilovajsk began with the Ukrainian offensive and ended in encirclement. This is Russia’s favourite tactics, and it creates the picture of a major military defeat.

   The defeat can trigger off a major political crisis, pushing rightist radicals and volunteer battalions to seize power.

   The third Maidan revolution is Moscow’s dream because it will destroy Ukraine as a state. A military defeat in Donbas will lead to the third revolution. That is why Ukraine must not fall for Russia’s provocations,” Volodymyr Fesenko said.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015  12:34 AM PDT

Ukrainian troops attacked 87 times overnight, five times with rockets

   (24Today) --- Militants reported using banned weapons to fire at Ukrainian positions

   UNIAN: The combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 87 times overnight, Ukrainian military press centre wrote on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

   The militants were reported using banned artillery systems 12 times, mortars 21 times, Grad multiple rocket launchers five times, and rocket-propelled grenade launchers and small arms 65 times,

   "From 18:00 Kiev time to midnight on August 12, illegal armed groups were firing 120mm mortars on ATO forces in the village of Novhorodske near the militant-controlled city of Donetsk. The village of Pisky and the town of Avdiyivka came under enemy mortar fire twice. And at about 21:00 Kiev time, the mercenaries started firing 152mm artillery systems on the town of Krasnohorivka. In addition, at 23:45 Kiev time, the militants opened fire from multiple rocket launchers near Krasnohorivka in violation of the Minsk agreements," the press center said.

   At 19:00 Kiev time, the Russian-backed insurgents were firing 120mm mortars and 152mm artillery systems on the villages of Starohnativka and Chermalyk, which are not far from the Ukrainian-controlled city of Mariupol. At about 20:00 Kiev time, they started firing mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and small arms twice on ATO forces in the village of Krymske in Luhansk region. At 23:00 Kiev time, they opened fire from 120mm mortars on the village of Zaitseve in the direction of Artemivsk.

   After midnight on August 12, the Kremlin-backed mercenaries continued intensifying fire mainly in Donetsk region. At about 01:00 Kiev time, they used Grad multiple rocket launchers to shell the villages of Vodiane, Opytne, Pisky, and Novoselivka.