Kyiv, September 20, 2015. No Ukrainian servicemen died or were wounded in combat in the ATO zone yesterday. Neither Russia-backed militant groups, nor Ukrainian forces used heavy weapons. Ukrainian troops have not registered any flights of militant unmanned aerial vehicles in the ATO zone yesterday.
ATO forces recorded only two episodes of ceasefire violation by militants. Yesterday militants shot at out outposts between Adviivka and Spartak from small arms, grenade launchers and ЗУ-23-2 anti-aircraft mounts. Moreover, Ukrainian troops recorded a militants’ brief armed provocation near Bohdanivka settlement between Komsomolske and Volnovakha. Ceasefire held in all the other sectors.
Ukrainian border guards detained a 22-year-old Italian citizen at Zaitseve border crossing checkpoint yesterday. He planned to join the ranks of pro-Russian militant groups. Moreover, border guards detained a man suspected with involvement with the militants at a 100 metres distance from Ukrainian-Russian border near Milove in Luhansk region. The detained planned to cross the border bypassing the checkpoint. He carried so-called ‘military service card’ issued by self-proclaimed ‘DPR’.
Ukrainian law enforcements prevented transfera of a substantial sum of money into the occupied territory. Officers of the Security Service, State Border Service and State Fiscal Service of Ukraine found over one million Russian roubles, about five thousand US dollars, several thousand hryvnias and 23 bank cards in a passenger vehicle at a checkpoint near Hnutove village 20 kilometres from Mariupol.
Note: This text is a transcript of the official briefing of the spokesperson of Administration of the President of Ukraine on ATO-related issues. Uaposition can not change the wording and terms used by the spokesperson. We disagree with the used terms “Russian backed militants” and “Pro Russian terrorist” instead of “Russian troops” and “Russian terrorists”. However, this is official terminology of Ukrainian authorities because as of now Ukrainian authorities don’t recognize Russia as a Party to the Conflict in Ukraine and don’t severs diplomatic relations and economic cooperation.
