Situational Report: 19 Jan 2015

DONETSK area. By night from 18th to 19th of Januray NAF managed to enter Peski and pushed UAF to the western part of the village. Ukrainian forces performed a tank attack with 15 machines, but the Militia successfully repulsed it. Street fighting lasted during the whole day: the Militia was trying to advance and take the village, whereas the UAF attempted to revert to their lost positions attacking with tanks. The skirmish intensified dramatically by the evening, in the result of what Ukrainian forces succeeded in their attempt to push NAF to the centre of the village. Later by night the fighting went on. According to the latest data, NAF have approached the positions of UAF at Peski very close, but they still could not overtake the village.

In the evening on January 19, The Militia also resumed their advancing on Avdeevka, using armoured forces and artillery. In the result of that, the Militia assault groups enterest the village. Strong skirmishes in Avdeedka lasted until the evening.

Meanwhile, UAF intensified their attacks on Donetsk from Avdeevka. They kept on firing at Donetsk from their positions near Krasnogorovka, Opytnoe, Vodyanoe and Avdeevka. At the evening, Putilovka district was shelled with Uragan MLR System. Activity of sabotage and reconnaissance groups of UAF was noticed in Kalinovsky and Kuibyshevsky districts of Donetsk. At about 18:30 (MSK) Ukrainian forces started bombardment at chemical plant and schools #46 and #52.

At the afternoon the fighting at the airport area was resumed: Ukrainian army was keeping on counterbattery shelling. However, NAF has been holding their positions and controlling the whole territory of ruined airport. Fire didn’t stop by midnight, both sides started intensive artillery fire at Peski—airport—Avdeevka front line.

On the approaches to Gorlovka, NAF damaged three Gun Batteries shelling residential area. After analysing the UAF firing, the Militia came to the conclusion that the fire from Ukrainian side was random in 80% of cases.  In Gorlovka people and community service workers started repairing the ravages. At approximately 15:40 (MSK) NAF started firing from Gorlovka towards Ukrainian forces’ roadblock near Dzerzhinsk. At about 23:20 (MSK) UAF resumed artillery fire at the centre of Gorlovka.

On January 19 the Militia claimed that they destroyed UAF’s roadblock near Bogdanovka (eastward from Volnovakha). At the evening Novorossia’s troops failed to overtake Orekhovo-Donetsky, UAF got reinforcement there.

During the whole day there was artillery fighting in the are of Mariupol—Granitnoe fronline. NAF took Lebedinskoe and was advancing on Vinogradnoe.

LUGANSK area. A bridge Pervomaisk—Stakhanov was destroyed in the result of UAF shelling at night from 18th to 19th January.  A few buildings, including emergency station, were damaged. No victims. UAF fired also at Kirovsk: a lot of dwelling houses , electric power transmission lines and gas pipeline damaged.

The Militia fired at the enemy’s positions near Stanitsa Luganskaya, but there was no active figthing during the day. At about 11:15 (MSK) there was artillery fire at Vostochny Kvartal of Lugansk.

Officially on Monday, Janury 19, all transport connections between the city of Lugansk and Ukraine have been cut.