Ukrainian forces take control of a town in Svitlodarsk salient
Ukrainian armed forces have taken control of the town of Novoluhanske situated along the Svitlodarsk salient. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the Ukrainian servicemen have set up a check point on the outskirts of the town.
“This will allow us to supply almost 4,000 residents of the town with food and necessary consumer goods, restore medical services and delivery of required raw materials and fuel to the local factories. This will also make it easier for the residents of Ukraine to visit their relatives,“ the statement on the web site of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reads.
The Ministry notes that the Ukrainian side has set the check point following “multiple requests of the residents of the town, the temporarily-relocated persons and local businessmen.”
“The 46th Battalion Donbas-Ukraine has moved into Novoluhanske. The commander of the battalion said that the town is under a complete control of the Ukrainian forces," journalist Andriy Tsaplienko wrote on his Facebook page.
Separatists confirmed the fact that the town is now under the control of the Ukrainian military.
“We are defending ourselves and not carrying out offensives at the positions of the Ukrainian forces. The news that the enemy [Ukraine Army] has taken over control of the town of Novoluhansk, situated in the grey zone, which is supposed to be free from weapons and armor, only shows that the enemy moves their personnel and weapons towards the contact line near Debaltseve,” a representative of the People's militia of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) stated, as reported by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency.