3 Ukrainian Soldiers Wounded in Action; Russia-Backed Forces Attack 40 Times

Home damaged in Avdeyevka in shelling by Russia-backed forces April 17, 2017. Photo by ATO

Ukraine Day 1156: LIVE UPDATES BELOW. Three Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in battle today.

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3 Ukrainian Soldiers Wounded in Action; Russia-Backed Forces Attack 40 Times

2017-04-19 03:59:35

Cache of arms said to be found by SBU in abandoned farm house. Photo by ATO

Over night, Russia-backed militants attacked 32 more times and another Ukrainian soldier was wounded, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reported, according to Liga.net

Then two Ukrainian soldiers were wounded and Russia-backed forces attacked 18 times during the day, Liga.net reported, citing the ATO evening dispatch, bringing the total to 3 soldiers wounded in the last 24 hours and 40 attacks. This was relatively lighter than in the weeks before the ceasefire signed April 1 for the Easter holidays.

Over night, most of the attacks were on the Maritime line; 120-mm mortars and an armed BMP were fired on Ukrainian positions at Novogrigoryevka; 82-mortars were fired on Chermalyk and heavy machine guns were fired near Maryinka. An armed BMP, anti-tank grenaes and heavy machine guns fired on Vodyanoye; grenade-launchers and small arms were fired near Shirokino, Talakovka and Pavlopol. Near Talakovka and Vodyanoye, snipers were active.

On the Donetsk line, 82-mm mortars, grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns were used to attack Avdeyevka. Anti-tank grenades, heavy machine guns and small arms were fired on the Butovka mine. Heavy machine guns and small arms were fired on Kamenki.

On the Lugansk line, 82-mm mortars were fired near Katerinovka as well as automatic grenade-launchers. Anti-tank grenades were fired near Novoaleksandrovka.

During the day, most of the attacks were on the Donetsk line, where militants used 82-mm mortars to fire on Krymskoye. Grenade-launchers and heavy machine guns were fired on Avdeyevka and Kamenka. Heavy machine guns were also fired on Peski and Optynoe and anti-tank grenade-launchers and small arms were used on Zaytsevo.

On the Maritime line, militants attacked Krasnogorovka with 82-mm mortars, anti-tank grenades and heavy machines guns; Starognatovka was attacked with grenade-launchers. Machine guns were fired on Vodyanoye and Chermalyk. Snipers were active in Novotroitskoye.

On the Lugansk line, 82-mm mortars and automatic grenade-launchers were fired on Katerinovka.

The Ukrainian Security Service reported that two arms caches had been discovered. One was near Netaylovo on a former farm, and contained anti-tank grenades, hand grandades, trip wires, TNT, and detonators along with rounds of ammunition. The second was located between Starognatovka and Granitnoye with Kalashnikov AKS-74 rifles and grenade-launchers.

Liga.net reported, citing Ukrinform that military leaders of the self-declared “Donetsk People’s Republic” are rounding up men who work in civil service and forcing them to go to barracks where they go through a 21-day military training.

A resident of Donetsk told journalists:

“People are in shock. Of course none of these draftees will go willingly to the front, but a fact remains a fact, they decided to blacken civilians, and later use that as a chip in negotiations.”

The Ukrainian military uploaded a video showing a half dozen homes damaged in Avdeyevka by shelling yesterday, April 17, as we reported.

— Catherine A. Fitzpatrick

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