Interpreter Staff

5 Ukrainian Soldiers Wounded in Action; Russia-backed Militants Attack 65 Times

May 8, 2017
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The Bell
Ukraine At War
Map of front line positions May 7, 2017. By Ukrainian Defense Ministry

Ukraine Day 1175: LIVE UPDATES BELOW. Five Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in battle today and Russia-backed forces made 65 attacks on Ukrainian positions.

Yesterday’s coverage of the Ukraine conflict can be found here.

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5 Ukrainian Soldiers Wounded in Action; Russia-backed Militants Attack 65 Times
2017-05-08 05:05:32

Russia-backed forces attacked Ukrainian positions 65 times in the last day, Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing the ATO [Anti-Terrorist Operation] morning dispatch.
Col. Oleksandr Motuzyanyk of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported at his daily briefing that militants fired over 40 mortar rounds and 15 tank projectiles from Yasynuvata on Avdeyevka (Avdiivka) and 15 mortar rounds at Luganskoye (Luhanske). He said five soldiers were wounded in action. Motuzyanyk reported:
In Mariupol sector, militants violated the ceasefire 17 times as well, using mortars 6 times. They used mortar launchers together with armor and light weapons both in Maryinka and Krasnohorivka. The situation remains unchanged in Pavlopil – Shyrokyne frontline area.  “Enemy is shooting non-stop. Most attacks didn’t last more than 30 minutes and involved only light weapons. Militants’ sporadic attacks took place in Pavlopil, Hnutove and Shyrokyne. Their sniper was active at dawn in Vodiane,” said Col. Motuzyanyk.

The ATO reported that on the Donetsk line,  82-mm, 120-mm and 122-mm artillery, an armed BMP, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns were used to attack Troitskoye.

Near Verkhnyetoretskoye, 82-mm mortars, grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns were fired, and an armed BMP, 82-mm and 120-mm mortar launchers and heavy machine guns were fired on Luganskoye.
Near Optynoye, 82-mm mortars were used as well as near Avdeyevka, where grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns were also used. Militants fired grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns at ATO positions in Kamenka, Peski and Zaytsevo. Near Nevelskoye, separatists used anti-aircraft ZU-23-2 systems and automatic grenade-throwers. Ukrainian positions near Mayorsk were attacked with grenade-launchers and small arms.
On the Maritime line, 82-mm mortars, anti-tank systems, an armed BMP, grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns were used to attack Vodyanoye; 82-mm mortars, grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns were used to attack Krasnogorovka.
Near Shirokino, militants fired on the marines from an armed BMP, and near Pavlopov, an armed BTR and grenade-launchers were used. Near Lebedinskoye and Maryinka, fighters pounded Ukrainian positions with grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns. ATO forces in Novoselovka Vtoraya were struck by heavy machine guns and in Gnutovo, an armed BMP, heavy machine guns and small arms were used.
On the Lugansk like, 122-mm and 152-mm artillery as well as grenade-launchers and 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and heavy machine guns were used by Krymskoye. Ukrainian positions near Troitskoye was attacked with 120-mm artillery, 82-mm and 120-mm mortars and grenade-launchers

Near Novozvanovka, 122-mm and 152-mm artillery, 120-mm mortars, grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns were used. The Ukrainian positions in Popasnaya were fired on with 122-mm artillery and 82-mm and 120-mm mortar-launchers; 122-mm artillery as well as 120-mm mortar launchers, grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns were used to attack Novoaleksandrovka.

— Catherine A. Fitzpatrick 

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