Ukrainian media: Separatists attacked Ukrainian Armed Forces after they took control of territory in the gray zone
As reported on the Ukrainian TV program TSN Tyzhden, fighting has recently resumed in the Luhansk region near the Bakhmut road. Illya Kyrychenko, a grenade launcher operator, and Volodymyr Laykov, a 32-year-old machine gunner from Dnipropetrovsk region, were killed. Dozens of soldiers were wounded.
All of this happened in territory that should belong to the Ukrainian army completely and without contest. According to the maps of the Minsk agreements, the area of Zholobok not controlled by the Ukrainian army and the partially controlled Bakhmut road must be territories controlled by the Ukrainian authorities. In fact, even the maneuvers of the Ukrainian army on its own territory are treated as an offensive.
According to correspondent Yevgeniya Tsvetanskaya, the enemy fired at Ukrainian soldiers among the houses in Zholobok. This area is well known after fierce battles for number 31 and 32 roadblocks. At the end of 2014, the Armed Forces of Ukraine left the territory of the number 32 roadblock after the announcement of the Minsk agreements when the lines of separation were drawn. In January 2015, pro-Russian separatist captured roadblock 31.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces regained control of a kilometer and a half in the area of the Bakhmut road where new positions were set up. Now, the road is partially within range of the Ukrainian artillery. This is exactly what separatists did not like, although the LPR had known this all along.
Consequently, a sudden surge of reports in the separatist and Russian media about the offensive by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the beginning of shelling and attacks greatly surprised the Ukrainian army.
Andriy, a spokesman for a separate mechanized brigade, which repels the offensive by the separatists, is convinced that this is the continuation of a classic disinformation campaign. The separatists would grab any excuse to resume their activity.
"They write about the offensive, the heights taken, although the height 175.9 has long been under our control. They fired at the settlements, at local residents. They were getting ready. Immediately, reports started to appear in their media that said they would raise this issue in Minsk," Andriy noted.
Actual events as reported did not even take place on positions newly established by the army. They are on the other side of Zholobok. The entire development centers on the famous 29 roadblock. On June 5, the enemy increased the intensity of bombardments, as well as the number of artillery, armored vehicles and snipers in order to expand their foothold under the cover of the information campaign, according to intelligence.
The task of the Ukrainian military is to foil the plans of illegal armed formations and that task was successfully completed. Troops entered the battle without artillery, which was withdrawn at the time. Enemy losses amounted to about 25 people.