Fighting intensifies in western Donetsk
2015-08-10
Posted by: badanov
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By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
Fighting between Ukrainian military units and Russian backed rebel forces reached a crescendo Sunday when Ukrainian troops attempted to take a village in western Donetsk, according to Russian language news accounts.
According to several news accounts in both rebel and Ukrainian media, Ukrainian artillery units fired on the village of Novo Laspa Sunday, in an attack characterized by rebel media as "intense." Novo Laspa is in the Telmanovskiy district of southern Donetsk, about 40 kilometers south of Donetsk city.
Ukrainian media says that rebel troops attempted an attack on the positions of the Ukrainian 72nd Brigade, but were driven back in a counterattack.
Ukrainians say they took Novo Laspa, while rebel media says Novo Laspa remains in rebel hands.
According to Lt. Colonel Eduard Basurin, spokesman for the Donetsk ministry of defense, the Ukrainian attack consisted of light infantry and armored vehicles, but was driven back. Losses for the Ukrainians include two tanks, one BMP IFV, and an antitank technical vehicle.
The rebel report said that Ukrainian fired 160 rounds of 122mm rocket artillery on the village. A total of three unidentified civilians were killed in that attack.
Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsaplienko said that the Ukrainians lost one dead, and other losses for the Ukrainian unit are not available. He indicated that rebel counterattacks continue at this hour. He also said that the rebels began firing artillery on the Ukrainian positions first.
According to data supplied by the Ukrainian news website rian.com.ua, a separate rebel infantry attack took place at Belo Kamenka at the same time as the Novo Laspa attack, which broke into Ukrainian defenses. The report said that the combat was hand to hand. Ukrainians lost seven dead and 11 wounded. Some of the casualties were from an unidentified Right Sector staffed military unit posted in or near the village as well as from elements of the Ukrainian 72nd Brigade. Belo Kamenka is in the same region as Novo Laspa.
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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