Several dozen fighters of unlawful armed groups have been held during a security operation in Mariupol, Donetsk region, said Anton Heraschenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian Interior Minister.
“The operation was a success. First the terrorists’ concrete
reinforcements were destroyed, the use of hand grenade launchers showed
the terrorists the seriousness of our intentions. About 30 terrorists
have been arrested and all moved into a safe location. Currently, the
targeted purge continues, with terrorists beginning to hide in houses
and basements to save their own lives,” Heraschenko said at a briefing
in Kyiv on Friday.
He said the order to conduct the operation, which began at 0500, was
given by Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov. The operation
consisted of several parts: the attack group of the Azov battalion moved
on the militants’ reinforcements. Also, the area was encircled by
forces from the National Guard and the Dnieper-1 battalion. The
Ukrainian armed forces were put along the city perimeter to prevent
militants from leaving the city and removing weapons en masse.
One of the Mariupol-based unlawful armed group leaders, also known as
Boroda (Beard), has been apprehended, the interior minister’s advisor
said.
He said the Ukrainian government forces had their own spies inside
the militants’ camp, who updated on their morale and level of training.
Also, militants were captured and testified about the location of sniper
spots, mines and roadside bombs. Furthermore, two bombs were planted at
a building housing militants; the Ukrainian government who were aware
of it carried out controlled explosion without anyone being injured.
“Ukrainian flags are already being hung on all administrative
buildings in the city of Mariupol. First of all, a flag was hung on the
building of the Mariupol City Council, and the city is again returning
to its normal life,” the minister’s advisor said.
