1 Ukrainian Soldier Killed, 3 Wounded; Fighting Intensifies on the Bakhmut Highway

Despite the “harvest ceasefire,” Russia-backed forces attacked Ukrainian positions 35 times in the previous reporting period, Liga.net reported, citing the ATO [Anti-Terrorist Operation] morning dispatch.

One Ukrainian soldier was killed and three were wounded, the Defense Ministry reported. Residential areas were also shelled.

On the Maritime line, Russia-backed forces fired on Lebedinskoye, Vodyanoye, Pavlopol, Gnutovo, Krasnogorovka, Maryinka, Taramchuk and Talakovka, mainly in the evening, using 120-mm mortars. Krasnogorovoka homes were shelled, but no local residents were injured.

On the Donetsk line, militants fired 120-mm mortars at Avdeyevka as well as grenade-launchers and small arms; 122-mm mortars were also fired late at night. Mortar-launchers and small arms were fired to the northeast of Avdeyevka, at Kamenka and Novoselovka Vtoraya. An anti-tank missile system and and anti-aircraft system were used in attacks. Luganskoye and Verknyetoretskoye also came under attack.

On the Lugansk line on the Bakhmut Highway, there was intensive fire from 82-mm and 120-mm mortar launchers and also other weapons near Krymskoye; militants also pounded areas near Trykhizbeka and Schastya. There were also attacks on Stary Aydar, Novotoshkovskoye, Sharov Kut and Valuysk.

Also in a briefing today, Valentin Petrov, head of information security issues for the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said that the recent computer virus attacks on Ukraine were “an element of the hybrid war” which should be seen as a “political move” to “destabilize the situation in Ukraine”. It has accompanied violence in Donbass, with two assassinations this week of security officials.

The virus was said to be spread by a system for updating accounting software. 

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry also reported the detention of a man suspected of aiding the self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic”.

— Catherine A. Fitzpatrick

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