Infantry skirmishes on the rise in Donetsk subject logo: DONBASWAR
2015-08-14
Posted by: badanov

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By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

The infantry fight at Belokamenka and at Novolaspa in western Donetsk ended last Monday, but infantry battles and artillery exchanges in western and southern Donetsk between Russian backed rebels and Ukrainian government forces appear to be on the rise, according to Russian language news accounts.

Reports from various unidentified sources at the VKontakte page of Russian Reserve FSB Colonel Igor Girkin indicate that not only has artillery exchanges between the combatants have increased, but also infantry direct fire engagements in areas which should have been decided, are on the upswing.

The battle at Belokemenka, which rebel media claim was a small counterattack and the battle at Novolaspa, which Ukrainian media claim was a failed rebel attack are once again the site of battle.

According to a report by the Russian blogger identified as iCorpus, Ukrainian forces have been reinforcing the areas around Belokamenka. Rebel media, in the form of official announcements by the Donetsk ministry of defense, said that Ukrainian forces are filtering into the Styla Starobeshevskiy area near Volnovaha, including the BM-21 rocket artillery vehicles. One report said that four launchers were moved into the area. As a result, artillery duels between the two combatants are on the increase. An infantry fight between the two combatants took place on Wednesday, elements of which included five Ukrainian vehicles and infantry, and, according to one report, Ukrainian forces were driven back, with rebels forces defending the area using BM-21 rocket artillery as well as small arms fire. Four of the vehicles were destroyed in the engagement. Further details on the encounter have not been released.

Rebels claim losses by Ukrainian forces at Belokamenka to be "heavy."

Rebel reports say elements of one Ukrainian mechanized and one motorized rifle brigade hold the area. Ukrainian report say that rebels hit their positions at Styla Starobeshevskiy using 152mm artillery.

Other areas reporting artillery exchanges including nearby Dokuchaevsk and Telmanovo. Some of the artillery landing reportedly come from artillery units based in the Sea of Azov coastal town of Mariupol and from nearby Granitnovo.

Shirokino and southern Donetsk

Rebel media says that Ukrainian tube and rocket artillery continues to hit rebel positions in Sahanka. Areas hit in Sahanka include ulitsas Gagarin Street and Central. Some of the artillery consists of 82mm mortar fire originating from an "Azov" Battalion 82mm mortar battery based in Shirokino. Some of the artillery also is said to have originated from Orlovsky, Talakovki and the outskirts of Mariupol. Ukrainian news accounts say that the rebels struck back with 120mm mortar fire.

Sahanka is the rebels' most forward position in southern Donetsk, along the coast of the Sea of Azov, occupied after their forces voluntarily abandoned Shirokino in a gesture of goodwill in favor of peace talks. Ukrainian forces have since moved forces into the town, including a naval infantry unit and now, apparently, elements of the Azov Battalion.

Donetsk and Gorlovka


According to data supplied by the Donetsk ministry of defense, Ukrainian artillery hit rebel positions in Kirovsky, Oktyabrsky and Kuibyshevsky districts of western Donetsk and the village of Staromihaylovka. Reported damage includes 10 residences.

One unidentified civilian was killed, and three others were wounded in the attack.

In Gorlovka, overnight shelling from August 12th to August 13th struck the suburb of Oksenovka, wounding an unidentified civilian man who lived in a residence on Ultisa 40 Years Since October.

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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