The situation in the Eastern regions of Ukraine 21.08.2014
Consolidated data of the Information and Analytical Centre of the NSDC of Ukraine 17:00 - 21 august 2014
Military operations in the zone of conflict
The Checkpoint, where soldiers of the National Guard and the Ministry of Interior volunteer battalions are deployed, located near Telmanovo of Donetsk region within Azov Sea coastal recreational area, 5 km from the border with Russia and 100 km from the core fighting, was shelled with heavy artillery from the direction of the Russian border today at 11:30 and 12:10. Cars and buses with women and children cross this checkpoint every hour. Despite the fact that this place is overcrowded with civilians the terrorists cynically and intentionally shelled this checkpoint. Our military responded immediately and, under the threat to their lives, evacuated people to their dugouts and shelters, thus saving the lives of all civilian migrants and tourists. Therefore civilian casualties were avoided.
Currently, the tensest situation is in areas of Luhansk, Donetsk, Dmytrivka, Mykolayivka, Yasynuvata, Ilovaisk, Krasnodon, Makiyivka, Gorlivka, Savur-Mohyla. There is ongoing fighting between the ATO forces and terrorists.
Our military continue operations in Stanichno-Luhanske, Malomykolayivka, Illyria of the Luhansk region and Zemlyanka and Yasynivka of the Donetsk region. Ukrainian forces also continue to defend liberated settlements of Novosvitlivka and Hryashchuvate.
Terrorists continue to fire positions of АТО forces with the aim to create corridor for the armament and heavy technique supply, and also armed terrorists trespass from territory of Russian Federation. However, terrorists began to retreat because of Ukrainian forces permanent pressure. Some of them tries to abandon the occupied territories in the likeness of refugees.
In Іllovaisk (Donetsk region) powerful reinforcement arrived on Ukrainian positions today. It allowed to our troops to gain a foothold on positions and defeat 2 attacks of terrorists. The most part of city is under control of the Ukrainian troops. However terrorists are trying to get back the lost territory.
Today in 14:15 Ukrainian border guards and custom services began registration of the Russian humanitarian load in the point of admission "Donetsk" (Russian Federation).
The situation in the conflict zone localities
Today terrorists fired again housing districts of Donetsk - Leninskiy, Kyivskiy, Voroshilivskiy and Kuybishevsky. The roof and walls of the Donetsk local history museum were destroyed after artillery bombardment. Also dwelling-houses were destroyed because of shell hits. In addition, the real pearl of the Donbas capital city, the sport complex "Donbas Arena" was fired from a heavy armament.
In Ilovays'k terrorists shell hit the house number 43 on the Tolbukhina street. As a result, civilians were injured in this building. Despite all the attacks city public services and public transportation are trying to work in normal mode.
For the attention of citizens! In most towns of Donetsk and Lugansk regions receding terrorists are leaving a large number of self-made mines which may look like an ordinary cell phone, pen or drink cans. So please do not raise them and inform the children about such dangerous possibility. If you find such items, contact number 094-837-18-05.
SBU seized printed materials with extremist content in one of the Kiev private typographies. Agitation contained direct calls for war, territorial integrity changings and violent usurpation of state power in Ukraine. Police removed directly from the conveyor line two thousand copies of newspaper "Working class". SBU also found out ordering customer of this anti-Ukrainian product. Now it is conducted pre-trial criminal proceedings, initiated in accordance with Part 2 paragraph 109 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (public calls for violent overthrow or change of the constitutional order or the usurpation of state power). You can see the video on the website of the SBU about this newspaper set-off.
To the end of this week 30 rescuers from consolidated Interregional Center for Rapid Response in State Service of Extraordinary Situations (SSES) of Ukraine will be trying to restore one of the "traffic arteries" in Luhansk region - the road bridge "Tomaszewski" which was destroyed by saboteurs on May 22.
Currently, experts putting the new plates, fixing bridge slopes, constructing armored belt. In addition, on the occasion of Independence Day rescuers painted more than 50 meters of bridge in patriotic colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Tthe diving and pyrotechnics experts SSES examined the bridge (length - 94 meters and width - 11 meters) and the contiguous waters around the ruined structures to detect explosives. And only then they blown up concrete structures and damaged metal fence which were dismantled by terrorists. "Tomaszewski" bridge passes over the river Seversky Donets. This is one of three bridges across the Seversky Donets River, which connects the railway station "Rubezhnoye" and Novodruzhesk village.
According to the Ministry of Social Policy, as of today, all the kids from respective shelters and children centers for social and psychological rehabilitation, located in the area of ATO, have been evacuated. Most of them (105 children) were taken to the social and psychological rehabilitation centers in other regions. These children attend schools at the places of their current residence. Some orphans and disabled children from Luhansk and Donetsk regions were taken for rehabilitation to the city of Berdyansk (23 children).
28 family-type orphanages, which bring up 215 children, and 66 foster families, which bring up 165 orphans and children deprived of parental care, were moved from Donetsk region to other regions of Ukraine. Total number - 380 children.
18 family-type orphanages, which bring up 127 children and 29 foster families, bringing up 58 orphans and children deprived of parental care, were moved from Luhansk region. Total number - 185 children.
International support for Ukraine
Sweden allocates 3.8 million euros for humanitarian aid to Ukraine. This was stated by the Minister for International Cooperation Hill Enhstrom. According to Enhstrom, the funds will be allocated for the purchase of food and medicines to the East of Ukraine, as well as for the restoration of infrastructure in the region. The Minister added that in the future Sweden might allocate extra money for humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Consolidated data of the Information and Analytical Centre of the NSDC of Ukraine 12:00 - 21 august 2014
Military operations in the zone of conflict
Forces of anti-terror operation (АТО) continue to liberate from the terrorists the cities of Donetsk, Luhansk, Іlovaisk, Krasnyi Luch, Shakhtarsk, Тorez, Snizhne, Zugres, Gorlivka, Stanichno-Luhanske.
In the fighting nearby Luhansk Ukrainian army captured two APCs of the Pskov division of the airborne troops of Russia. The complete package of documents was found in one of the vehicles including driving licenses and military documents. The personnel and vehicle were attached to the military unit 74268 of the 1st parachute-assault company of the Pskov division of the airborne troops of Russia. Among other things the personal map-case of the platoon commander lieutenant Popov was found. The crew had abandoned APC.
Also during the attack on positions of terrorists Ukrainian army destroyed 2 tanks of terrorists and 2 multiple artillery rocket systems "Grad", from which the Russian mercenaries shelled the positions of the АТО forces and residential houses.
Battle actions proceed in the districts of Іllovaisk (Donetsk area). Ukrainian soldiers repelled counter-attacks of terrorists successfully. Now reinforcements arrive to the АТО forces in the area.
In the Luhansk area near the settlement of Novosvitlivka terrorists shot down Su-24М aircraft of the Air Forces of Ukraine that was returning after the combat mission. Both pilots ejected.
During twenty-four hours forces of АТО entered into a fire contact with terrorists 30 times, particularly in the areas of Georgiyivka, Luzhky, Амvrosiyivka, Shevchenko, Sontseve, Stukalova Balka, Аvdiyivka, Мakarove, Кomyshuvakha, Іlovaisk, Dzerkalne, Stanichno-Luhanske.
Russian military continued shelling the ATO forces positions from the territory of Russia. In particular, artillery attacked the area of Amvrosiyivka from the direction of the Russian village Seleznevo. Outskirts of village Vasilevka were shelled from the Russian Marfinka. In addition, from the Russian Federation territory artillery attacked the checkpoint and the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the village Blagodatne (nearby Amvrosiyivka) and also in villages Komyshuvakha, Makariv, Luzhky in the Donetsk region.
Ukrainian border guards daily detect the Russian reconnaissance UAVs flights over the settlements on the Azov sea coast - Sedove, Novoazovsk, Mariupol, and over the locations of the ATO forces deployment.
In the context of the information that the trucks with Russian humanitarian cargo allegedly crossed Russian-Ukrainian border the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that as of evening of August 20 Ukrainian border and customs services had not performed relevant procedures yet. Ukrainian side shall promptly commence appropriate procedures after the final confirmation from the International Committee of the Red Cross concerning the readiness to deliver the cargo to its destination is received. Moreover, it means that the ICRC, which has assumed all the responsibility concerning all logistical matters, including transportation routes, storage and distribution of aid in Ukraine, has to receive all the necessary security guarantees for the personnel and cargo. Such guarantees must be provided to the Red Cross from the terrorist groups (primarily controlled by Russia) and the Russian Federation itself. In Ukraine there is an understanding of the need to synchronize all Red Cross aid supplies to the civilian population of Luhansk region, including those provided by the Ukrainian government in cooperation with other countries and international institutions.
As of 12:00 today, border and customs clearance of the Russian humanitarian cargo has not been carried out. However, every order needed to perform cargo clearance as soon as possible was given.
The situation in the conflict zone localities
Terrorists shelled another car with refugees in the Luhansk region. The tragedy occurred on August 20 near the village Hryaschuvate (same location as previously). According to witnesses, the car was moving with a large white flag, but that did not stop the bandits. There was a family with five year old child in the car. A man and a child were killed on the spot. The woman died in the hands of Ukrainian military doctors.
Yasynivka Coking Plant was damaged because of terrorists' fire. Currently, the company has no power and water supply. The coal-mine "Kirov-1" was shelled. Two high-voltage power towers were damaged and office building was partially destroyed there.
As a result of shelling by the terrorists from Luhansk direction power line in the town of Shchastya, which has been under the control of the Ukrainian military for a long time already, was damaged. This artillery attack led to the shutdown of the 13th unit of the thermoelectric power plant.
According to current information, saboteurs mined all the bridges across the river Kalmius nearby villages Gorbachevo-Mykhailivka, Pridorozhne and Menchugove (Starobeshevskiy district in Donetsk region).
Terrorists shelled Verhnokalmiusky water filtration plant once again, so it has no power supply. Water supplies are in controlled mode.
A few days ago during the Ilovaisk assault the citizen of Slovakia Miroslav Rokhach, who served in terrorists mortar detachment, was detained.
Yesterday, near the village Novotroitske (Donetsk region) Ukrainian special services have detained a citizen of Ukraine, who delivered information to the terrorists about the movements and deployment of armed forces units that are directly involved in the ATO in Donetsk. The detained person was brought to law enforcement officials and already testifies.
Yesterday nearby Slovyansk soldiers of the Ministry of Interior special battalion "Kyiv-1" arrested one of the leaders of the local militant gangs, who organized the work of terrorists' roadblocks in the Donetsk region, ensured their safety and coordination. Investigation is underway.
International Support for Ukraine
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko held a meeting with the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman who visited Ukraine on behalf of the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The President thanked for the Secretary-General's support in peacekeeping and de-escalation efforts concerning the situation in Donbas. He stressed that Ukraine has no internal conflict. "People in Donetsk and Luhansk are seeking peace. The implementation of the peace plan, which we proposed, determines our actions. We are aware that the situation cannot be solved only by military means," - he said.
The President also informed about the initiative of Ukraine to send international humanitarian aid to Luhansk, which under the control of terrorists is on the verge of humanitarian disaster.
Valerie Amos, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, will visit Ukraine on August 21-24 to evaluate ways to provide humanitarian assistance to Eastern Ukraine.
Humanitarian aid
On August 21 the staff of the South-Western Railway has sent humanitarian aid to the temporary migrants' short-stay point in Volnovakha (Donetsk region). The part of the cargo from the team of the South-Western Railway remains in Volnovakha point, the rest will be supplied by the employees of the State Service for Emergency Situations of Ukraine in Donetsk region to the settlers' centers on the coast of the Azov Sea, where only according to the official data more than 22 thousand persons are staying. In general the Railway staff sent more than 35 tons of food and basic necessities to civilians in the East. In addition, the Railway staff collected set of medicines for Pershotravnevy first-aid center.
A convoy of humanitarian aid from Dnipropetrovsk is to arrive to the East of Ukraine tomorrow. The 200,000 tons load contains essential products - cereals, flour, sugar, canned fish and meat, and baby foods.
How does Russian propaganda work
Another lie from Russian propaganda. Tonight Russian TV channel "Zvezda" ("Star") of the Armed Forces of Russia accused Ukrainian ATO forces of shelling the city of Makiyivka with "Tochka-U" missile system during the combat for this town. It was stated in the story that Ukrainian Armed Forces were bombing the city in order to liberate it prior to the Independence Day. In addition, featuring the video, the Russian source threatened Ukraine with international scandal.
However, as unraveled by the analysts of our information and analytical center, the picture which demonstrates the use of weapons of mass destruction in Makiyivka, - which allegedly was launched by the Ukrainian military, - actually illustrates a totally different event - a blast of Russian space rocket on July 2, 2013 at Baikonur launch site (Kazakhstan). Please find here for your consideration both videos to compare: the one from the Russian TV channel and the actual video of the explosion at Baikonur.
It should be recalled that Russia has been repeatedly and unreasonably accusing Ukraine of using ballistic missiles in populated areas.
This video clearly proves how the factory of Russian propaganda works, not only distorting the facts, but also forging video sequences with no hesitation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mV6ct4GW7pw