Fighting erupts near Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine
The Ukrainian TSN News channel reports renewed heavy fighting on the front line in eastern Ukraine. According to the news channel, the separatists attempted to advance in the area of Debaltseve in the Donetsk region.
The separatist attacked the Ukrainian positions in the early morning on June 29. According to the reports of the Ukrainian volunteers from Pravyi Sektor (Right Sector), the separatist used heavy artillery and armored infantry vehicles. The Ukrainian forces repelled the separatist attack and launched a counterattack, advancing into separatist-held territory.
According to unconfirmed reports the 52nd and 22th Brigades of the Ukrainian Army, government forces, supported by volunteer fighters from Pravyi Sektor, managed to advance several kilometers into separatist-held areas, taking two heights near the town of Lohvynove. The Ukrainian military also reportedly advanced to the separatist-held town of Sanzharivka, encircling it and moving their positions within 2 kilometers of the town of Vuhlehirsk.
Ukrainian media reports that 10 Ukrainian servicemen were wounded and, according to unconfirmed reports, one servicemen was killed. There were also casualties on the separatist side with at least one killed.
The advance of the Ukrainian forces has also been confirmed by the separatist media.
“Today [June 29th], between 7-8 am the Ukrainian Forces made an attempt to break though our [separatist] positions in the direction of Debeltseve. As a result they have advanced their positions 4 kilometers toward the town of Lohvynove,” the separatist news portal dan-news.info reported.