Battle in Shakhtarsk Raion
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Battle in Shakhtarsk Raion | |||||||
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Part of the war in Donbas | |||||||
Ukrainian troops at Savur-Mohyla, June 2014 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Ukraine |
Russian Federation[a] | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Viktor Muzhenko Timur Yuldashev † |
Aleksandr Zakharchenko | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Ukrainian Armed Forces
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Donbass People's Militia :
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Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
One civilian plane shot down, 298 civilians killed | |||||||
The Battle in
Events by location
From 6 April, as part of the
Stepanivka
DPR-affiliated separatists launched an offensive on neighbouring government-controlled Marynivka from village of Stepanivka on 16 July.[4] Ukrainian forces said that they retook Stepanivka from the insurgents on 29 July, and then advanced towards nearby Pervomaisk.[5] According to an 11 August report, the village appeared to have been almost completely destroyed by shelling during the fighting across the raion.[6] Stepanivka returned to insurgent control on 14 August.[7]
Marynivka
Marynivka is a border town located in the southern Donetsk Oblast. Its position on the border made control of it important to maintaining insurgent supply-lines. Insurgents launched an offensive on National Guard of Ukraine positions in the town on 16 July, after breaking through encirclement by government forces in neighbouring Stepanivka.[8] Fighting also spread to the nearby village of Tarany.[9] During this offensive, the insurgents used tanks, mortars, and anti-tank missiles against government forces. Insurgents held Marynivka until the National Guard was able to repel their offensive and force them to retreat to Stepanivka.[10] Later on, the insurgents said that had recaptured Marynivka.[11] Insurgent spokesman Sergei Kavtaradze said that one insurgent had been killed, while fifteen were injured. Insurgent commander Igor Girkin said that DPR insurgents destroyed two Ukrainian armoured vehicles and captured one.[12]
Ukrainian forces came under continued attack by the insurgents in Marynivka, despite managing to hold onto control of it on 16 July. On the day after the first insurgent offensive, government forces repelled another four attacks, and destroyed three tanks, two armoured personnel carriers, and two other combat vehicles.
Dmytrivka
On 3 August, a Ukrainian
Savur-Mohyla
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur that was shot down by Russian-controlled forces with a surface-to-air missile near Hrabove, about 10 kilometres (6+1⁄4 mi) from Shakhtarsk, on 17 July. All 283 passengers and 15 crew died in the shoot-down.
Shakhtarsk
According to DPR forces, a National Guard convoy entered Shakhtarsk from the north on 27 July. Air raid sirens were heard, heavy fighting erupted, and street battles took place across the city.[25] Insurgents attacked government forces from the south, but later retreated. Reinforcements from neighbouring Snizhne arrived to assist the embattled DPR insurgents.[26] Subsequently, the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that they had captured Shakhtarsk.[27] Two days later, however, the DPR-affiliated insurgents said they had reasserted control over the city, and pushed Ukrainian forces to its outskirts. They also said that a large amount of Ukrainian equipment was destroyed in the fighting.[28] An insurgent ambush killed ten Ukrainian soldiers on 31 July.[29] According to Ukrainian officials, mortars were used to attack the troops as they were re-deploying. Fierce clashes between government and insurgent forces continued in early August. Many civilians left their homes to escape the fighting, and whilst those that remained became emotionally distressed because of constant overnight artillery bombardment.[27] Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) monitors visited Shakhtarsk on 8 August.[30] They said that the town was "deserted", and that no shops were open. According to local residents, water was only available for two hours a day, and electrical power and gas service were non-existent. There was damage from shelling across the town, and multiple residential buildings were seen destroyed.[30] Insurgents fended off continued attempts by government forces in late August to remove them from Shakhtarsk.[31]
Snizhne and Torez
They managed to hold the town only briefly, as DPR-affiliated insurgents forced them to withdraw from the area on 1 August.[34] Clashes on the outskirts of the city continued on 7 August, after Ukrainian soldiers tried to relieve their encircled comrades near the town. According to the DPR, these attacks were repelled.[citation needed] Ukrainian forces advanced toward Torez again on 8 August, in an effort to prevent insurgent attacks on their positions at Savur-Mohyla.[35]
Ukrainian forces launched a new offensive with the aim of recapturing Snizhne, Torez and Shakhtarsk on 12 August. Clashes continued in each city.[36] On the next day, Ukrainian artillery destroyed a convoy of lorries filled with ammunition for the insurgents at Snizhne. According to two members of the Russian Presidential Human Rights Council, this convoy had been escorted by Russian military personnel, of which more than 100 were killed and about 300 wounded.[37] Government forces tried once again to retake Torez from the insurgents on 20 August, but were repelled.[38] Ukrainian forces destroyed eleven Grad rocket systems, three tanks, and five armoured vehicles used by the insurgents in Snizhne on 21 August. Government sources said that they also killed more than 100 Russian "mercenaries".[39]
See also
Notes
- ^ Denied by Russia
References
- ^ Sneider, Noah (24 July 2014). "Huddling With Ukrainian Rebels in a Bunker on the Front Lines". The New Republic. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
- ^ "Аналіз бойових дій в районі Іловайська після вторгнення російських військ 24-29 серпня 2014 року".
- ^ "Bellingcat Report - Origin of Artillery Attacks on Ukrainian Military Positions in Eastern Ukraine Between 14 July 2014 and 8 August 2014". 17 February 2015.
- ^ "The national guard under: militia attacked the Stepanovka under Donetsk". RIN.ru. 16 July 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ "Stepanivka Is Liberated. Fighting for Snizhne and Pervomaisk Continue". censor.net. 29 July 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
- ^ "Antiterrorist Operation Took Lives of 568 Ukrainian Militaries, 2,120 Wounded". Ukrainian News. 11 August 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "ДНР: Ополченцы отбили у силовиков село Степановка на границе с Россией". Moskovskij Komsomolets. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
- ^ Balmforth, Richard; Zverev, Anton (16 July 2014). "More Ukrainian soldiers killed as fighting rages in east, peace move flops". Reuters. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
- ^ "Militants attack National Guard positions in Donetsk oblast". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. 16 July 2014. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ "Militants attack National Guard positions in Donetsk region". Interfax-Ukraine. 16 July 2014. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Associated Press: Ukraine rebels reclaim village on Russian border". Kyiv Post. Donetsk. Associated Press. 16 July 2014. Archived from the original on 21 July 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ Chernov, Mstyslav (16 July 2014). "Ukraine rebels reclaim village on Russian border". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Tymchuck: In the battle near Marynivka the ATO forces destroyed 3 tanks, 2 APC (armoured personnel carriers) and terrorists' cars". Life UA. 17 July 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "US says Russia is firing across the border into Ukraine and moving in heavy artillery". Penticton Herald. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ITAR-TASS. 31 July 2014. Archived from the originalon 12 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ "Kyiv source claims Ukrainian paratroopers were ambushed by militants near Shakhtarsk". Interfax-Ukraine. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Donetsk Militia Says Ukrainian Su-25 Fighter Plane Shot Down". RIA Novosti. 3 August 2014. Archived from the original on 4 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ "MH17: Two Ukrainian fighter jets shot down near crash site, Kiev says". The Globe and Mail. Kiev. Reuters. 23 July 2014. Archived from the original on 23 July 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
- ^ "NSDC: ATO troops take control of Savur-Mohyla hill at the border between Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts". Ukraine Crisis Media Center. 28 July 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
- ^ "Ukrainian army intensifies offensive on Donetsk". ITAR-TASS. 31 July 2014. Archived from the original on 31 July 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
- ^ "Anti-Terrorist operation: Summary for August 5, 2014". Euromadian Press. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.
- ^ "Ukrainian military encircle areas controlled by militants". Interfax-Ukraine. 6 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ Donetsk militia claims assuming control of border stretch to Azov Sea, ITAR-TASS, 26 August 2014
- ^ Balmforth, Richard; Polityuk, Pavel (28 August 2014). "Ukraine accuses Russia of launching invasion". Reuters. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ "Ukraine's Tank Convoy Enters Eastern City of Shakhtarsk, Battles Underway – Militia". RIA NOVOSTI. 27 July 2014.
- ^ "Ukraine Liveblog Day 160: The Battle For The Donbass Intensifies".
- ^ a b "Ukraine MH17: Air crash team finds human remains". BBC News. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
- ^ "Militias fight Ukrainian troops in advance on eastern city". ITAR-TASS. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
- ^ "Ukraine conflict: Investigators start search at MH17 jet crash site". CBC.ca. CBC News. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Latest from OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine based on information received by 18:00 (Kyiv time), 7 August 2014" (Press release). Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. 9 August 2014. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ "Les séparatistes déterminés à prendre Marioupol" [The separatists are determined to take Mariupol]. Courrier International (in French). 29 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
- ^ "Ukraine conflict: Jet bombs rebel-held town of Snizhne". BBC News. 15 July 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
- ^ "ATO forces take over Debaltseve, Shakhtarsk, Torez, Lutuhyne, fighting for Pervomaisk and Snizhne underway – ATO press center". Interfax-Ukraine. 28 July 2014. Archived from the original on 28 July 2014. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
- ^ "DNR: Ukrainian army suffers crushing defeat near Shakhtarsk". ITAR-TASS. 1 August 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
- ^ Burko, Roman. "Anti-Terrorist Operation in Ukraine: summary for August 8, 2014". Euromadian Press. Archived from the original on 9 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ "Kyiv says Ukraine army preparing offensive on Shakhtarsk, Torez and Snizhne". Interfax-Ukraine. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
- ^ Grove, Thomas (28 August 2014). "Exclusive: Over 100 Russian soldiers killed in single Ukraine battle – Russian rights activists". Yahoo! News. Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 September 2014. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ "Ukraine conflict: Fierce battle for town of Ilovaisk". BBC News. 20 August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
- ^ "Ukrainian Military Destroyed 11 Terrorists' "Grad"s Near Snizhne". Ukraine Investigation. 22 August 2014. Archived from the original on 24 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.