No one was hurt during a takeover of a Ukrainian air defense base in Donetsk, said Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council.
“There have been reports that the base in Donetsk has been occupied, the personnel were not injured. Following the commander’s decision, all equipment was disabled and is not working only the territory was left to militants,” Lysenko said at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday, adding that “militants have occupied the headquarters of the air defense base.”
The attack on the military base occurred in the past 24 hours. “An attack on an air defense base took place this morning. Grenade and mortar launchers were used. The attack was well planned,” Ukrainian security operation press officer Oleksiy Dmytrashkovsky was quoted as saying by the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper.
“Following a brief fight the attackers managed to seize some of the personnel and part of the territory. The rest of the military went on the defensive, protecting the parade ground, the mess hall and warehouses,” Dmytrashkovsky added.
The militants seized two trucks, he said. He also confirmed that the base No. A-1402 has a Buk air defense missile system. “But it is not operational. The operational ones are currently at other strategic facilities,” the press officer added.
