Supply of the enemy’s military equipment and of manpower from the Russian Federation territory doesn’t stop. “Movement of military equipment from Russia in the direction of Krasny Luch of Luhansk region was spotted, includes 32 tanks, 16 D-30 howitzers and 30 Kamaz trucks with ammunition and manpower. Yesterday a convoy of trucks crossed into Ukraine from the territory of the Russian Federation at Izvaryne border crossing point, 3 Kamaz trucks with radars were spotted in the convoy. Redeployment of military equipment and of Russian mercenaries to the frontline continues. Anti-terrorist operation (ATO) forces are getting ready for adequate response under any scenario,” informed Colonel Andriy Lysenko, spokesman of the Information Analytical Center of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC) at a briefing in the Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
Militants intensified their activities at Donetsk direction. Terrorists fired twice at positions of Ukrainian military in the airport with artillery, mortars, grenade launchers and small arms. At Pervomaysk direction terrorists shelled with Grad Ukrainian positions near population centers Frunze and Hirske. Militants fired with mortars at positions near Krymske village and at a pontoon ferry near Nyzhnie. “1 serviceman was killed at the ferry, 1 was injured. Ukrainian troopers held mop-up activities to clear the area from fire controllers and subversives. While conducting the above activities our servicemen tripped a mine, 7 got injured, there are no killed. Precise artillery return fire destroyed the enemy’s mortar unit. The enemy’s subversive group was destroyed and stepped back,” added Colonel Lysenko.
Within the last 24 hours 5 Ukrainian servicemen were killed, 16 got wounded.
Aerial reconnaissance with UAVs continues. Yesterday a border guard detachment spotted 1 UAV crossing the administrative border from the territory of the temporary occupied Crimea.
Near population center Selidove on exit from the territories controlled by militants border guards detained a truck with 18 tons of coal. “Transportation documents were cleared with an invalid stamp of the illegal “Ministry of revenue and customs” of the so-called “Donetsk people’s republic”. The cargo and the vehicle were passed to the Interior Ministry staff,” explained Colonel Andriy Lysenko.
The Head of the Polish Ministry for Foreign Affairs Grzegorz Schetyna during his intervention at the Sejm declared that Moscow undermined the principles of inviolability of borders, of refraining from the use of violence in international disputes, and that of the state sovereignty. He underlined that the annexation of Crimea by Russia and the conflict in Donbas have called into question the very principles of European security.
The Head of the Lithuanian Ministry for Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius stated that softening the sanctions against Russia would be a mistake as Russia is planning further invasion into Eastern Ukraine.
Australian Ambassador to Russia Paul Myler stated that official Canberra intends to discuss with the heads of EU member states the necessity to impose a new round of sanctions on Russia. The reason for that, the Australian diplomat said is the support Russia granted to the pseudo-elections in Donbas.
Prime Minister of France Manuel Valls declared that no preconditions are achieved at the moment to have the first Mistral class helicopter carrier passed to Russia.
