By Chris Covert
rantburg.com
A formal request from the breakaway government of Donetsk People's Republic was transmitted to the Ukrainian government requesting the entry of humanitarian supplies to the residents of village recently taken over by Ukrainian forces, according to data supplied by officials with Russian backed separatist forces.
 The previous day a Ukrainian military unit entered the village of Staromaryevka in the gray zone between the lines of Russian backed separatists and Ukrainian forces. Neither side released any data as to casualties or to combat, so it is assumed that the village as taken without a shot -- and to the rebel's complete surprise.
So far the Ukrainian ministry of defense to date has remarked on the Ukrainian operation.
According to the DPR Ministry of Defense: "Staromaryevka is located in the 'gray zone' 10 km west of Telmanovo, the administrative center of the DPR district of the same name."
It was previously reported by the DPR minister of foreign affairs, Natalia Nikonorova, that Ukrainian military units made their stab at Staromaryevka three days ago, using 82mm and 120mm mortar fire in support. The nearby village of Granitnoye was a position held by Ukrainian troops, where the mortar fire originated.
According to a separate report supplied by the separatists, elements of the Ukrainian 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade commanded by Vyacheslav Kotlik, were involved in the takeover and the artillery fire.
The report said that artillery fire had severed a 300mm diameter water pipe in Telemanovo.
A separate Russian backed militia news account which appeared in novorosinform.org, reported several residents of Staromaryevka were arrested by Ukrainian military units. The presumed detachment commander of the Ukrainian operation, Georgy Medvedev, reported on the arrests, and also reported Ukrainian units already left the Staromaryevka.
Elements of the Ukrainian 93rd Separate Mechanized Brigade, commanded Dmitry Bryzhinsky, also were responsible for artillery firing on Zaistevo and in Gorlovka. Both villages have been under Ukrainian artillery fire since the beginning of the war in 2014.
Other separatist reports are that Ukrainian artillery was fired on Yasinovataya, Dokuchaevsk and Staromikhaylovka.
The report said that criminal cases were being prepared for the attacks.
DPR defense spokesman Lt. Colonel Eduard Basurin said an overflight of a drone, commissioned by the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), was jammed by Ukrainian electronic intelligence units.
The announcement did not specify if the drone's flight and functions were impaired, but did specify the number of villages, all in southwestern Donetsk, which were reached by the drone.
The Ukrainian side reported, according to data supplied by the Ukrainian language daily, lb.ua, that the separatists dropped an explosive device from a drone in Granitnoye, severely wounding on unidentified Ukrainian soldier.'
The report also said Ukrainian units observed a drone enter and leave Ukriaian airspace. It is possible that was the OSCE drone.
Ukrainian forces fail to reinforce Staromaryevka
According a news report in the Russian language daily rusonline.org, the Ukrainian units tasked with capturing Staromaryevka has requested, but have been denied orders to withdraw. This after expectations the position would be reinforced by the Ukrainians.
The subtext is that separatist units defending the area have yet to withdraw, and likely have the village under observation.
Other reports indicated the Ukrainians already have withdrawn from Staromaryevka, but to date no official report has emerged to that effect. 
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