| Submit your comments on this article |
| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| 7 die in fighting in Donetsk, Lugnask |
| 2018-02-26 |
| A total of seven combatants were killed in the fighting in Russian rebel held Donetsk, according to Russian language news accounts. According to press release by the Donetsk Peoples Republic Ministry of Defense, Ukrainians fired on an ambulance during a ceasefire in Dokhuchaevsk, south of Donetsk city on Friday. According to the news release, both sides agreed to a ceasefire in order for a rebel operated ambulance to enter Ukrainian territory to retrieve a wounded rebel soldier. The request was made by the joint group of senior Russian and Ukrainian officers, who monitor the fighting in the region. The unidentified soldier was wounded by Ukrainian artillery fired by elements of the 93rd separate mechanized brigade. An ambulance was sent after a presumed agreement by both sides was finalized. The ambulance was struck by an antitank missile or rocket from the Ukrainian side, presumably from the same unit. Two others, a medical orderly and a driver were killed in the attack. Rebel media said the ambulance was clearly marked with a red cross. The rebels said the Ukrainians publicly presented the attack as an attack on a BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle which had wandered into the Ukrainian security zone. Rebel media also reported that Ukrainian artillery fired on the town of Gorlovka, north of Donetsk city, damaged a number of residences. The report said five buildings were damaged and a number of power lines were damaged as well. The artillery attacks took place over two days, Friday and Saturday. Rebel media also reported that one rebel soldier was killed in Ukrainian artillery attacks on Sunday, but the news release did not elaborate. Lugansk A total of two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and another two were wounded near the Svetlodarsk region Friday, when a small patrol was struck by a Ukrainian mine. The soldiers were part of the Ukrainian 43rd Special Purpose Battalion, attached to the 54th Separate Brigade. Its area of operation is the Svetlodarsk region Ukrainian media said that rebel artillery struck the village of Luganskoye, damaging resideintial buildings and power line on Saturday night. According to the report, rebels used 122mm artillery in the attack. On Sunday, Ukrainian media reported one Ukrainian soldier was killed in rebel artillery attacks around the Svetlodarsk region, near Zaistevo and Luganskoye. Ukrainian media said that rebel direct fire weapons were fired on Ukrainian positions at Kryminskoye and Novolugansk. |
| Posted by:badanov |