Igor Strelkov’s Briefings, June 20, 2014

Combined for June 20, 2014
Translated from Russian by Gleb Bazov / Edited by S. Naylor

Briefing from Igor Strelkov, June 20, 2006, 11:19
Original: http://icorpus.ru/svodka-ot-strelkova-20-06-2014-1119/

• In the course of the night, the Slavyansk garrison continued to receive detachments and individual fighters that broke through the encirclement in the region of Yampol. As of this moment, approximately half of the detachments have returned.

• According to some reports, the strike force of the enemy in yesterday’s [June 19, 2014] battle was comprised of foreign PMC [Private Military Corporation] fighters, armed with Western-manufactured small arms, including Bull-Pap assault rifles. The mercenaries suffered heavy casualties.

• At this time, the city of Slavyansk remains under DPR militia control. The enemy is conducting artillery strikes of the militia positions in the vicinity of Lisichansk. Aviation and ground assault jets of the enemy are conduction airstrikes. There has been no change to the enemy positions around Slavyansk. The enemy is placing landmines on the outskirts of the city and conducting artillery strikes against civilian districts.

• Four civilians were killed and 21 were wounded over the course of the last 24 hours. Our intelligence reports ongoing transfers of Ukrainian forces and foreign mercenaries in the direction of the city of Donetsk.

Briefing from Igor Strelkov, June 20, 2006, 12:32
Original: http://icorpus.ru/svodka-ot-strelkova-20-06-2014-1232/

• The enemy is unfolding its forces for a simultaneous assault on Kramatorsk and Slavyansk. Three are groups of enemy forces near Kramatorsk: in the west (from the direction of Sergeevka), at Karachun Mount (from the direction of Yasnogorka) and at Malinovka. There is also a significant concentration of [enemy] forces and equipment in the vicinity of the Slavyansk city sign (“Slavyansk stella”). Only thing that is unclear is where exactly they will strike. It is possible that [the enemy will strike] against the Cherevkovka village (on the outskirts of Slavyansk).

• On the Nikolayevka side, there is a column or armoured vehicles approximately 3 kilometres in length. Their direction is toward Nikolayevka-Semyonovka-Slavyansk. Mmm-hmm … we are like a bone stuck in their throat. They threw everything, so as to deal with as in a “grown-up” fashion. We are ready for an attack. It’s a pity only that our forces are minimal at best.

Briefing from Igor Strelkov, June 20, 2014, 14:10
Original: http://icorpus.ru/kommentarij-strelkova-20-06-2014-1410/

• If our sources in Izyum are to be trusted, the number of wounded, that were relocated there or sent to Kharkov after this battle, exceeds 300 men. However, I cannot guarantee this information – [it came to us] by way of the gossip mill.

• On the other hand, the numbers publicized by the Ukie media may well be right. Our losses in dead and wounded are approximately half of [the enemy losses] – our battalion was not destroyed, merely dispersed. It is now slowly coming together again. Once they are all back, our irretrievable losses will become clear. For now, there are 15 wounded in the hospital. They were evacuated in the first hours of the battle and at the end.

Briefing from Igor Strelkov, June 20, 2014, 16:32
In answer to: “What happened to the morning advance of the Ukrainian forces?”
Original: http://icorpus.ru/otvet-strelkova-na-vopros-chem-zakonchilas-utrennee-vydvizhenie-pravitelstvennyx-vojsk-20-06-2014-1623/

They turned around and left, all of them. Our battle group (from Lisichansk) has again occupied Yampol – those fighters that were unable to break through across the bridges to the south shore are now returning as well. They are taking up their previous positions.

I am glad that the appeal to Russia was not left unanswered – the mere movement of Russian forces toward the border stopped the Ukies’ attempt to break through to our rear.

Briefing from Igor Strelkov, June 20, 2014, 18:20
Original: http://icorpus.ru/svodka-ot-strelkova-20-06-2014-1820/

• Contrary to our expectations, by noon our intelligence revealed a retreat of the main forces of the enemy from the vicinity of the Krivaya Luka settlement back to Kirovsk. The intelligence unit of the Lisichansk battalion conducted a clean-up of the location at the site of yesterday’s [June 19, 2014] battle. Thus, [they] discovered an enemy BMP APC that was hit yesterday. The APC was towed back to Lisichansk for repairs.

• In order to avoid possible breakthroughs of [enemy] heavy armoured vehicles toward Seversk, the bridge in the Zakotnoye village, across the Severskiy Donets river, was blown up. The bridge in the Krivaya Luka settlement was taken under control by the militia.

• At this time, we are in the process of gathering the personnel of the Krasniy Liman detachment. The goal is to regroup and retake prior positions.

• Minor gunfire and skirmishes occurred in the vicinity of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk. The enemy continues to conduct artillery strikes against Semyonovka and also to reinforce and place landmines around its positions near these cities.

• We are continuing to observe the movement of [armoured vehicles] in the vicinity of Donetsk. They are headed toward the city and toward the border with the Rostov oblast [Russian Federation].

• In the first half of the day, Ukrainian aviation patrolled the region of Gorlovka, searching for land targets. We have not received any information that any such targets were hit.