New outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine’s east

Active hostilities between the Ukrainian governmental troops and the pro-Russian militant formations of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) resumed in the vicinity of Avdeevka town, east Ukraine, on Sunday, January 29. Both sides reported on casualties as a result of combat actions, including injuries among the civilians.

According to the ATO press center, 2 Ukraininan soldiershave been killed and 5 have been reported injured as a result of tank and artillery shelling in the vicinity of Avdeevka this morning.

As the Ukrainian sources reported, on January 29, the militants launched an assault on the so-called Avdeevska industrial zone, an area adjacent to Donetsk airport.

Ukrainian armed forces repelled an offensive. Overall 4 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and 12 were wounded on Sunday. Two civilians were injured as a result of the fire-fight. Avdeevka was cut off power supply.

Ukrainian Defense Minister, Stepan Poltorak, reported that Ukrainian armed forces delivered a counterattack and took up a strategically important post.

Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate reported that 15 militants were killed, including the rifle battalion commander, with the call sign ‘Greek’.

The so-called DPR officials, in turn, have accused the Ukrainian troops of triggering outbreak of hostilities and confirmed the death of the battalion commander. The DPR authorities have also blamed the Ukrainian military of shelling Donetsk, during which one civilian was reportedly injured.

According to the UN data, about 9,500 people were killed as a result of hostilities in Ukraine’s east in the period from spring 2014 till September 2016. At the moment, there is a ceasefire in the conflict zone, that has been in effect under the Minsk deal. The latter also restricts deployment of heavy weaponry on the line of confrontation. Russia still denies its involvement in the conflict.