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Islamic battalion in the south of DPR - Approval of visa-free regime with EU for Ukraine - Baltic and Polish snipers in Donbass

Voice of Donbass - 12.04.17 02:09

Introduced on April 1st, the ceasefire in Donbass ended, barely begun. Two days after its beginning, the Ukrainian military opened fire on the territory of the Republics with mortars and artillery, even in the daytime, even in the presence of the OSCE and JCCC (Joint Center for Coordination and Control) observers. 

Meanwhile, the European Parliament approved a visa-free regime with Ukraine, and the NATO commander in Europe demanded that the US Presidential Administration supply lethal weapons to Ukraine.


On April 3, the third day after the announcement of the next «ceasefire», the Ukrainian side opens fire 36 times on 15 localities of the DPR, as a result of which a residential house is damaged in one of them. 

In the LPR, in the area of Zolotoye, where in late February the forces and means of the conflict parties were separated, a false patrol of the OSCE is seen. Later, the same vehicle is noticed in the area of Avdeevka, in the DPR. The OSCE confirms that the Ukrainian side uses vehicles with the OSCE logo to conduct reconnaissance. 

In general, according to the informational alert groups, in the DPR the ceasefire regime lasted, on average, from 8 to 11 hours. In the LPR, it was observed by the Ukrainian side a little longer. 

At the same time, the DPR opens points of assistance to compatriots at the Zaytsevo checkpoint, in the Gorlovka region in the north of the DPR, and the Alexandrovka checkpoint, in the west of Donetsk. Thus, the Republic has already opened three points of assistance to residents of Donbass on the territory controlled by Kiev, out of four planned ones. 

In the meantime, in western Ukraine, inhabitants of mountain villages, who have been left without jobs, bring to the ground and saw for scrap metal supports of the power transmission lines, by which electricity is exported to Europe. 

In the United States, the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC), announces the holding of the International Day of Solidarity with the residents of Odessa.

On April 4, the number of bombardments of the territory of the DPR from the Ukrainian side increases to 50. The Ukrainian military launch over 300 mortar shells on the localities of the Republic, with over 100 of them landing at the Donetsk airport.

As a result of the shelling, a civilian dies, 9 residential houses are damaged and destroyed, as well as a gas pipeline. 

Moreover, the Ukrainian side opens the targeted fire on agricultural equipment which came out in the field for sowing works. 

At the same time, on the Kiev-controlled territory near the contact line, about half a million residents of Donbass remain without water and electricity, because the Ukrainian side does not give security guarantees to repair crews. 

Nevertheless, by the end of the day, the DPR authorities report on the restoration of the power supply to the Donetsk filtration plant. 

In the LPR, there are exercises on overcoming of water obstacles.

NATO generals come to the ATO zone with an inspection, from which it can be concluded that Donbass has become a training ground for the NATO personnel in a combat situation. 

Meanwhile, a round table on threats to freedom of speech and the safety of journalists' work, organized by the Ukrainian office of the Council of Europe, is held in Kiev. Representatives of international organizations take part in the round table, but Ukrainian media are not allowed to attend its meetings.

On April 5, in the DPR, the number of bombardments from the Ukrainian side reaches 55, and for the first time since the announcement of the «silence regime» on April 1, Kiev opens fire from tanks on one of the front-line districts of Donetsk. 

In Yasinovataya, near the Donetsk filtration plant, officers from the Russian side of the JCCC (Joint Center for Coordination and Control) and the OSCE observers come under fire from the Ukrainian side. 

The military authorities of the Republic note the activation of the «Right Sector» radicals along the entire front line. From the previous experience, it is possible that the nationalists are preparing for provocations. Their highest activity is expected in the southern, Mariupol direction. 

On the same day, in Novoazovsk, in the south of the DPR, students of a local school come out to clean the territory, during which occurs an explosion of a grenade remaining on the school grounds since 2014, when the city was under the control of the Ukrainian military. 

As a result of the explosion, a teacher dies and another seven people are injured. 

In the LPR, the intelligence of the Republic reports that in the locality of Zolotoe, declared a demilitarized zone after the separation of the forces and means of the parties to the conflict, two Ukrainian infantry fighting vehicles are deployed in a kindergarten. The building of the kindergarten is also used by the Ukrainian military as barracks and a warehouse. 

In addition, also according to the intelligence of the LPR, tin he town of Rubezhnoye, controlled by Kiev, arrives a train with tanks and motorized artillery systems, which, after being unloaded, head to the contact line.

On the same day, the OSCE observers report the absence of 15 tanks, 15 anti-tank cannons and 32 mortars at the sites of Ukrainian weapons storage. 

Meanwhile, in Ukraine, due to the shortage of coal of anthracite mark, the largest in the country Tripoli TPP in the Kiev region and the Pridneprovskaya TPP in Dnepropetrovsk stop working. 

In Kiev, the SBU officers storm the building of the Ukrnafta, the largest Ukrainian oil and gas company owned by the oligarch Kolomoysky. The building is searched for documents to prove conducting ‘auctions during the period when the Ukrnafta was ruled by Kolomoisky’s people’. It looks like President Poroshenko methodically deprives his rivals of the opportunity to finance the opposition to his regime. 

On the same day, new data appears in the case of the Malaysian MH-17 crash. 

The Bellingcat experts disclose information that on the days leading up to the MH-17 crash, there was a «Buk" anti-aircraft missile system of the Ukrainian army in Donbass, which Kiev has categorically denied for almost three years. Photos of the «Buk» near the contact line were posted in the social network as far back as 2014. 

In the United States, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Bridget Bryn, states that the US budget for aid to Ukraine will be reduced, as well as overall funds for international assistance.

On April 6, the Ukrainian side again violates the ceasefire regime about 50 times, with two-thirds of the bombardments taking place in the Donetsk direction. 

In addition, according to the DPR intelligence, groups of foreign mercenaries, 30-40 men each, arrive in the area of Donetsk. 

In the LPR, in the area of Stanitsa Luganskaya, Kiev again disrupts the withdrawal of forces and means of the parties to the conflict. Since February 2017, this is the eighth attempt to separate the troops, failed by the fault of Kiev. 

According to the LPR intelligence, in Kiev-controlled Lisichansk, a captain of the medical service of a Ukrainian unit, commits suicide, after receiving the order from his command about non-disclosure of the number of non-combat losses. According to the Republic, this number has exceeded 900 men in the past two years. 

On the same day, the DPR holds the gatherings of reservists, attended by about 30,000 people. The Head of the DPR states that in the event of the Ukrainian army's going to offensive, the entire population of Donbass will rise up to defend the Republics.

Meanwhile, in Kiev, at the security forum, the European MP, Harms, declares the need to introduce UN peacekeepers to Donbass, as the Minsk Agreements bring no results in resolving the conflict. However, the European MP does not name the guilty of non-compliance with the Minsk Agreements. 

On the Polish-Ukrainian border, Polish border guards detain Ukrainians carrying a 30mm shipborne artillery system AK-630 to Poland. At the same time, the Ukrainian border point of control let the arms smugglers pass unchecked. 

On the same day, the European Parliament votes for granting Ukraine a visa-free regime.

On April 7, in the LPR, Kiev again foils another attempt to withdraw troops from the contact line. At the same time, the OSCE observers on the Ukrainian side refuse to say whether they saw a signal flare launched on the territory of the LPR as a sign of readiness for the withdrawal of the troops.

In the DPR, during the shelling from the Ukrainian side, a young woman, born in 1994, receives a shrapnel wound, while shielding her children from shrapnel with her body.

In the same locality, as a result of the bombardment, a school and 8 houses are damaged, with one of them, in which the young mother was wounded, completely destroyed.

Nevertheless, on this day the DPR celebrates the third anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic.

On the same day, the Head of the DPR, Zakharchenko, announces that the Enakievo Iron and Steel plant, the largest in Donbass, will receive raw materials from Russia next week and start working again.

Meanwhile, the Russian Sberbank officially announces its withdrawal from Ukraine, due to a lack of security guarantees for its work from the country's authorities.

The Finance Minister of Ukraine declares that the blocking of Russian banks subsidiaries by nationalists can lead to destabilization of the entire banking system of Ukraine.

In the Czech Republic, on the initiative of the Foreign Minister of the Czech Republic, the DPR representative office is closed by the court decision.

On April 8, the Ukrainian military open fire on the territory of the DPR 56 times, including 16 times with heavy artillery and 12 times with tanks.

As a result of the shelling, two women, born in 1980 and 1983, are wounded in a front-line district of ​​Donetsk, and four houses damaged.

The shelling from the Ukrainian side also resulted in one soldier of the DPR army killed and another wounded.

According to the DPR intelligence, the Ukrainian military are actively preparing for street fighting in the capital of the Republic, Donetsk, and in the north, in Gorlovka city.

In addition, the intelligence of the Republic reports the arrival in Mariupol, the largest Kiev-controlled city in the south of Donbass, of an Islamic battalion of 500 men. The battalion is tasked to take control of the port which has already become a trans-shipment base for illegal arms trade with the countries of the Middle East.

The LPR intelligence reports that in the rear, the Ukrainian military actively equip helipads.

In addition, in the Lugansk section of the front, the OSCE observers again report the absence of 105 tanks, 7 85mm howitzers and over 20 mortars at the sites of of the Ukrainian armament storage.

On April 9, out of 52 cases of violation of the ceasefire by the Ukrainian side, the Ukrainian soldiers open fire from tanks 35 times. In addition, the enemy launches on the territory of the Republic about 500 mortar shells.

As a result of the shelling, in the DPR 9 residential houses are damaged, and 3 localities in the south of the Republic are deprived of electricity.

The military authorities of the Republic declares that the Ukrainian army deliberately shells the Donetsk filtration plant and power lines near the contact line, which makes it very difficult to repair them.

In the LPR, on this day another is wounded and another residential house damaged.

The LPR intelligence reports the activation of mercenaries on the Ukrainian side, as well as the arrival of another group of snipers, consisting mainly of females from Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

At the same time in Kiev, the SBU officers detain the head of a RAW warehouse of one of the Ukrainian army brigades, on suspicion of selling ammunition to nationalist battalions.

As a result, in the city of Dzerzhinsk, where this brigade is located, an inspection of RAW warehouses is planned. After the fire at the military depots in Balakleya in late March 2017, the probable cause of which was an attempt to conceal the theft of ammunition, the DPR authorities strongly recommend the residents of Dzerzhinsk to prepare for an urgent evacuation.


Having signed the agreement on another ceasefire, this time Kiev does not even try to hide its violations.

In the United States, a commission has been set up to investigate the use of funds provided to Ukraine.

The World Bank has officially announced the irrationality of spending loans allocated to Ukraine.

The IMF, as a condition for granting Ukraine the next tranche, has demanded the adoption of extremely unpopular decisions, in particular raising the retirement age and lifting the moratorium on the sale of land, which is almost impossible within the terms established by the Fund.

The aggravation of the situation in Donbass is the only chance for the Kiev regime to divert the attention of its Western curators from corruption in the country and try to regain their unconditional support.

Last week, the Interior Minister of Ukraine controlling all the nationalist battalions, ordered the preparation ‘for the return of Donbass'.

Journalist of Novorossia Vision - Irina Burya