Russia-led military forces mounted eight attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, on April 17, no Ukrainian army casualties have been reported, the press center of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) has said.
“On April 17, the armed forces of the Russian Federation violated the ceasefire eight times, while using weapons prohibited by the Minsk agreements – 82mm mortars – in two attacks. The enemy also fired on our defenders, using weapons of infantry fighting vehicles, grenade launchers of various systems, large-caliber machine guns, and small arms … There are no Joint Forces casualties,” the press center said on Facebook on April 18 morning.
All the attacks were reported in the Skhid (East) sector. Russia-led forces opened fire from 82mm mortars and anti-tank grenade launchers near the village of Mykolaivka; while 82mm were used near the village of Vodiane. Enemy BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles attacked the village of Pisky twice. Automatic heavy-duty grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns were also used there. Enemy troops also opened fire from weapons of infantry fighting vehicles near the village of Pavlopil. Automatic grenade launchers were used near the villages of Lebedynske and Shyrokyne, while large-caliber machine guns and small arms were used near the village of Novoselivka Druha.
According to Ukrainian intelligence reports, two enemy troops were killed, and another five were wounded on April 17.
Since April 18 midnight, Russia-led forces have fired from anti-tank grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns to attack Ukrainian positions near the town of Svitlodarsk, which is in the Pivnich (North) sector.
“As a result of the attack, one soldier of the Joint Forces has been wounded. Our defenders gave an adequate response to the shelling of separatists. The losses of separatists are being checked,” the JFO press center said.
