Gunfire exchanges intensifies near Donetsk, Mariupol
2015-04-01
Posted by: badanov
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By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
Rebel and Ukrainian artillery and ground forces exchanged artillery and small arms fire in several key regions in southeastern Ukraine including in Shirokino, each accusing the other of violating the ceasefire, according to English and Russian language rebel and Ukrainian news reports.
According to rebel news accounts over the past few days Ukrainian units have occupied western sectors of Shirokino, which is on the northern coast of the Sea of Azov, and have pressed small arms attacks, supported by 120mm mortars and tanks. Most of the Ukrainian units occupying are members of the Azov volunteer battalion, which are under orders to integrate with the Ukrainian regular army, or to leave the Mariupol defense zone.
Rebel media continuously claims that despite "provocations", in their words, by the Ukrainians in the form of artillery and small arms fire, their units have not responded. In the previous ceasefire agreement, at least in the early going, rebels claimed the same thing only later to respond to artillery strikes against their troops whenever they claimed the Ukrainian fired on them.
According to data supplied by Ukrainian member of Verkhovna Rada, Dmitri Tymchuk, rebel in Shirokino are currently rotating forces in Shirokino, and that a company tactical group has been moved into the area, including three tanks, three infantry fighting vehicles (IFV), probably BMP-2s, and about 80 armed effectives.
Rotating forces is a tactic used by both sides to ensure fresh forces are available to the fighting and that forces which are relieved by rotating get rest. Since it is still very cold in southeastern Ukraine, the weather can have an impact of the effectiveness of units in combat.
One civilian was killed and another wounded near Shirokino on Monday after a Ukrainian antitank rocket hit a small pickup truck. Both sides make lavish use of civilian marked transportation. According to rebel media representatives of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were escorted into the area to take photos of the incident.
A Ukrainian defense ministry spokesman identified as Anatoly Stelmakh said that rebel 120mm mortars hit Ukrainian positions at Lebedinskoye, near Mariupol, Sunday evening.
Stelmakh also said that rebel RPGs was fired at Lebedinskoye from Shirokino twice on Sunday as well.
Artillery at Donetsk city
Rebel media claim that Ukrainian artillery units have been hitting their positions at Donetsk Airport and at Spartak, while Tymchuk said that rebel units have fired on Ukrainian positions at Peski and Opytne.
According to Tymchuk, the rebels have moved 12 mortar tubes, essentially a battalion strength element consisting of 120mm and 82mm mortars into Donetsk into the Petrovsky and Kuibyshevskiy districts.
Tymchuk claims that rebel ground units are trying to pressure Ukrainian forces out of the positions at Peski.
Northern Donetsk
Rebel media claims that Ukrainian artillery continues to hit Gorlovka, this time using the 220mm Urugan multiple rocket launcher, although they have not reported details concerning casualties and damage.
Tymchuk said that the rebels have moved up forces to an area southwest of Gorlovka, including four tanks, two trucks, two BMP-2s, and one BTR-70 armored personnel carrier.
Tymchuk also said that rebel forces have been probing Ukrainian positions near Troiskoye, which is near the "neck" of the old Debaltsevo salient.
Rebel forces often use probes using a combination of regular infantry and special forces to test their enemy's strength, by what is called recon by fire, according to videos this writer has watched. Some of the special forces use AK-74s with suppressors to fire into the direction of their enemy to find out what kind of response they get.
Those groups often probe silently, without using radio or telephonic communications, relying on pre planned medium artillery fire to cover their withdrawal.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraina by clicking here.
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