17 November 2014 – The situation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions remains tense. Militants continue their attacks and keep firing at the positions of anti-terrorist operation (ATO) forces. Movement and regrouping of Russian troops and of militants is observed. Militants are building up their forces and weapons at the following directions: Pisky village, bridge at Marjinka, Krasnohorivka and Avdiivka of Donetsk region. Within the last day 6 Ukrainian military were killed, 9 got wounded. At Debaltseve direction near Nikishyne village terrorists attacked twice and fired with mortars and small arms at the ATO stronghold. All militants’ attacks were successfully repelled, terrorists suffered losses. At Donetsk direction in the last 24 hours bandits shelled the Donetsk airport and Ukrainian positions near Pisky village from tanks and mortars a number of times. Our artillery men returned fire with surgical strikes. Yesterday near the airport ATO forces artillery covered the location of one of the militants’ gang. As per the operational data over 20 terrorists were eliminated, 30 got wounded.
Yesterday at 15.20 in the outskirts of Stanytsia Luhanska population center terrorists fired with a hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher at the minibus transporting policemen of the battalion of patrol police special operation forces “Chernihiv” of the Interior Ministry Directorate in Chernihiv region. As a result 3 policemen got killed, 5 were wounded.
Militants do not stop attempts to gain control over Bakhmutka road. It is a very important section, gaining control over the road will allow the militants to create a threat from the Western direction for ATO forces defending the city of Shchastya. Luhansk power plant is also under threat. Near the road militants fired four times with Grad MRLS and mortars at a checkpoint of the National Guard and of the Ukraine Armed Forces near villages Krymske and Tryokhizbenka. Positions near Hirske were shelled with grenade launchers and mortars, near Frunze population center checkpoint of ATO forces was shelled with anti-tank guided missiles.
Yesterday Ukraine received unanimous support of the G20 summit participants and of the presidents of Visegrad Group states. Meanwhile the opportunity to further reinforce the sanctions regime remains one of the main instruments the West could apply on Moscow to make it comply with the Minsk accords.
Wrapping up the G20 summit Barack Obama stated that the sanctions of the Western states against the Russian Federation due to its role in the Ukraine Crisis “are biting plenty good” and stressed that Washington has got additional instruments to influence Kremlin. He underlined that he considers Russia’s aggression against Ukraine a threat to the whole world.
Head of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy noted that EU foreign affairs ministers will discuss the situation in Ukraine and the need for further diplomatic actions against Russia including new sanctions. In his opinion Russia has to influence the separatists at max to comply with the Minsk accords. He also added that the Russian Federation has to stop movement of troops to Ukraine and cease the weapons supply.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini signed an agreement on the status of the EU Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine.
17.11.2014
