Fighting continues in Donetsk
2015-04-15
Posted by: badanov
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By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
Fighting between Russian backed rebels and Ukrainian troops northwest of Donetsk continued to escalate, as the Donetsk rebels' military began moving newly formed units to the front, according to Russian language news reports.
According to data supplied from the VKontakte page operated by reserve FSB Colonel Igor Girkin, military units undergoing training in Donetsk have had their training cut short and are said to be preparing for deployment to the front, especially in the northwestern suburbs of Donetsk city.
According to a remark published in Colonel Girkin's VKontakte page, "a further escalation can not be avoided."
Colonel Girkin was a key operative in the Russian takeover in Crimea, and also ran the rebels' efforts in the beginning of the civil war in southeastern Ukraine last year until he stepped down in August. He has since then operated a number of websites which provide information about rebel activities in the civil war.
As reported earlier, the issue between Ukrainian and rebel forces since August, 2014 has been the airport, which the rebels have held since Ukrainian units abandoned the positions last February.
Now fighting continues to two key areas immediately north and south of the airport, in Spartak and Peski.
According to data supplied in Girkin's VKontacte page, elements of four veteran rebel battalions, Sparta, Vostok, Somalya and Oplota now hold positions in Peski, the western part of which the rebels have controlled since the Ukrainians abandoned the airport.
According to the latest data supplied by the rebels, Somalya suffered two dead and 20 wounded in Monday's fighting. In total since Monday, Donetsk rebels claim that 60 wounded were sent to Donetsk hospitals, most, according to Russian military analyst Boris Rozhin, having light wounds.
A militia "volunteer" said that the number of rebel wounded had increased beyond the 60 casualty number since Monday, but did not give a number.
Currently, according to a news account in tsnsor.net, rebel forces are pounding eastern parts of Peski using 120mm mortar and tank gunfire. Rebels claim that Ukrainian forces also hit targets using mortars and heavy tube artillery in indirect and direct fire modes.
Spokesman for the Ukrainian defense ministry effort in southeastern Ukraine, Colonel Andrei Lysenko, said that Ukrainian losses amounted to six dead and 12 wounded since Monday.
The Ukrainian military routinely under reports its casualties, and the rebels tend to throw out the largest number they can get away with.
Rebels say that Ukrainian tanks have been used in attacks on Spartak and on northwestern outskirts of Donetsk.
Rebels continue to claim their forces do not return fire in northwestern Donetsk city.
Chris Covert writes about foreign military issues for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter. You can read past articles about the 2014 war in southeastern Ukraina by clicking here.
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