Russian-terrorist troops continue to conduct active operations in the conflict zone in Donbas, increasing the degree of tension there. Over the past 24 hours, the airport in Donetsk (DAP) was one of the points of greatest confrontation.
After failing their mission to storm the positions of Ukrainian troops in the DAP and coming under the retaliatory fire of Ukrainian artillery, the enemy’s armored assault unit fell back to the area of Spartak. The armored unit incurred personnel and equipment (4 vehicles) losses in the course of the assaults. At this time, this armored unit is restoring its combat capacity by resupplying with reinforcements that arrived from the area ofHorlivka.
Russian-terrorist troop artillery groups are delivering fire on the positions of Ukrainian troops and civilian objects, from the area of Yasynuvata and the Kuibyshev District of Donetsk. Occasional fire strikes are also made on the positions of Ukrainian troops nearAvdiivka and the DAP. We have reports of infantry escorts. The facilities of the Avdiivka coking plant were hit as a result of the shelling (at least 10 hits over the last 3 days).
Supply convoys of Russian-terrorist troops continue heading towards Donetsk, throughSnizhne and Amvrosiivka. The IR group network reports spotting up to 15-20 covered trucks per day. Some of the convoys are escorted by armored vehicles and infantry units of Russian-terrorist troops.
Near Olenivka, the enemy command is taking urgent measures to restore the “front line” (as the IR group reported earlier, wholesale desertion and flight of terrorist units resulted in the “collapse” of the Russian-terrorist troops’ “front line” in this area). Specifically, additional insurgent units have been deployed here from the Petrovskyi District of Donetsk (those are mainly the remains of the Russian “Cossack” units and “DNR” [Donetsk People’s Republic] units previously operating in Donetsk). The deployment of troops and supplies was carried out under cover of artillery fire (the IR group believes that the Volnovakha tragedy resulted from the enemy’s attempt to delay or obstruct Ukrainian troops to the north of Stepne from moving further towards Olenivka before reinforcements arrived).
Regrouping continues in the battalion task force (BTF) of Russian-terrorist troops concentrated in the Pavlopil – Talakivka direction. After the vanguard of this BTF had proved unsuccessful at providing cover (when an attempt was made to force Ukrainian units near Pavlopil back, in order to capture an advantageous ground), the deployment zone was moved backwards, deeper inside insurgent lines.
A company task force (CTF) of Russian-terrorist troops, including 15 armored combat vehicles and 3 tanks, arrived at the flank of the Debaltseve foothold (in the area ofIrmino [formerly Teplohirsk]). This CTF is a forward element of the enemy’s BTF group, which is being deployed through Krasnodon–Luhansk and concentrated pastStakhanov. The CTF is staffed by Russian military servicemen from units and forces of the Russian Southern Military District.
The armored unit that arrived near Hranitne – Telmanove yesterday took positions on the first line. In the gap between Telmanove and Komsomolske, we observe active movement of enemy vehicles in both directions, and intense radio communication.
Russian “specialists” continue work aimed at centralizing the military structure of so-called “Novorossiya.” Gangs have been numbered and structured (into regiments, brigades, battalions). A single organizational and staff structure has been introduced, command staff appointed, and “basic military ranks” assigned to heads of gangs included in this single structure.
