Protests in Ukraine escalate

[Natalka]

20-year-old Dmytro Rud was killed near Talakivka, Donetsk Oblast on May 16, 2018.
Dmytro was born in Zhytomyr on January 23, 1998. He was an orphan, brought up by his grandmother and grandfather. He joined the army in 2016 and served as gunner and medic in 503rd Battalion of the 36th Separate Naval Infantry Brigade.
Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone
Russian proxy forces launch 43 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Mariupol sectors, 10 using 152-mm and 122-mm artillery, 120 та 82-mm mortars.
No casualties on the Ukrainian side
2 enemy militants killed, 3 wounded (according to Ukrainian intelligence services)

[Natalka]

UNICEF Ukraine‏Verified account @UNICEF_UA May 18

We are alarmed by that 4 schools in eastern #Ukraine were damaged by shelling in last 7 days as a result of the ongoing #conflict. We are calling on all sides of the conflict to ensure that schools are never attacked

[Natalka]

Oleksandr Konotopenko passed away in Mykolayiv on May 16, 2018.

Oleksandr was born in Mykolayiv on October 14, 1976, but lived in Odesa. He graduated from the Odesa Institute of Land Forces in 1998 and served as commander of the 1st Battalion of the 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade.

Oleksandr was deployed to Crimea in 2010 where he served as commander of the 1st Marine Corps Border Troops of the Coastal Defense (Feodosiya). In 2014, after the Russian occupation of Crimea, he returned to Odesa and engaged in training marines at the Naval Training Center.
Oleksandr took active part in combat in Eastern Ukraine. He was appointed Colonel on May 14, 2018, commander of sniper and combat training in the Naval Forces of Ukraine.

He was diagnosed with cancer in the winter of 2018 and hospitalized. In the end, he asked to be taken home to Mykolayiv where he passed away, surrounded by his loved ones.
Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone
Russian hybrid troops launch 58 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors, 22 using122-mm artillery and 120 and 82-mm mortars.
3 Ukrainian soldiers wounded
1 enemy militant killed, 3 wounded

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone
Russian occupation troops launch 55 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and mariupol sectors, 19 using heavy artillery and mortars.
No casualties on the Ukrainian side
3 enemy militants wounded
Russia closes 2000 sq.m of Azov Sea to Ukrainian ships, allegedly for firing exercises.

[Natalka]

Smoke raising from artillery strike in government controlled #Toretsk Multiple buildings damaged today, children evacuated from a school

[Natalka]

Kyiv, May 21, 2018. Last week, OSCE SMM recorded yet another escalation of the situation in eastern Ukraine. “Last week was in many ways the worst we have seen so far this year. In total, we recorded almost 7,700 ceasefire violations,” reported Alexander Hug, Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, at a press-briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.



On Wednesday night and early Thursday morning, the SMM monitors recorded almost 500 explosions and about 860 shots and bursts of heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire in Svitlodarsk. “Of particular concern was the situation in Horlivka. On Thursday night and early Friday morning our monitoring officers at the SMM forward patrol base in Horlivka heard about 140 explosions, mostly artillery and tank fire, plus bursts and shots of an anti-aircraft gun, heavy-machine-gun and small-arms fire. Also worrying was the use of multiple launch rocket systems. On Wednesday evening, May 16, an SMM static camera at the Donetsk Filtration Station recorded over 20 Grad rockets impacting west of the facility, in a government-controlled area,” elaborated Alexander Hug. OSCE SMM confirmed that last week two civilians, including a 13-year-old boy in Troitske in Luhansk region, were killed; and another three were injured. “We have many additional cases pending – including alleged cases involving the deaths of four civilians and the injury of six. Our monitoring officers are following up to establish the facts,” noted Alexander Hug.

[Natalka]

Vyacheslav Kutsmay, call sign “Zinc”, was KIA near Pivdenne, Donetsk Oblast on May 21, 2018.
Vyacheslav was born in Kyiv on November 7, 1986. He served in the intelligence unit of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade. He studied law at the Kyiv University of Economics. In 2014, he joined the army and served in the Donbas Battalion, fought at Ilovaisk, was captured and released in December 2014. In October 2016, he was transferred to the 58th Separate Mechanized Brigade, participated in the trade blockade of ORDLO and subsequently served in the 24th Brigade.
Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone
Russian hybrid troops launch 49 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors, 13 using 152-mm and 122-mm artillery, 120 and 82-mm mortars.
Heavy enemy shelling with 152-mm artillery on Talakivka, just outside Mariupol. Many homes and industrial premises destroyed.
1 Ukrainian serviceman killed, 3 wounded
4 enemy militants killed, 4 wounded (Ukrainian intelligence)

OSCE SMM spots significant accumulation of heavy weapons near occupied village of Buhaivka in Donbas, namely self-propelled howitzers, anti-tank guns, MLRS, surface-to-air missile systems and mortars.

[Natalka]

Andriy Maslov, call sign “Futbolist”, was KIA near Pivdenne, Donetsk Oblast on May 21, 2018.
Andriy was born in Kharkiv on May 20, 1987. He served as commander of the diversion&reconnaissance unit in the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade. He first served in the Donbas Battalion and in October 2016 was transferred to the 58th Separate Mechanized Brigade, participated in the trade blockade of ORDLO and subsequently served in the 24th Brigade. After the death of Volodymyr Mayboroda, commander of the intelligence division, Andriy took command of the unit.
Andriy leaves behind his grieving parents.
Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Slavko Kutsmay and Andriy Maslov
Killed in combat with Russian occupation troops on May 21, 2018 (more details later)
Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Another radiant young life gone....
Bohdan Kolomiyets was killed in heavy shelling near Zaitseve, Donetsk Oblast on May 22, 2018.
Bohdan was born in Luka-Meleshkivska, Vinnytsia Oblast. He enlisted on November 28, 2016 and served as junior sergeant, commander of the 2nd sniper unit in the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade.
Bohdan leaves behind his grieving parents and sister.
Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone
Russian-backed troops launch 38 attacks againsy Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Mariupol sectors, 8 using Minsk-banned mortars and artillery.
Increased hostilities mainly in Krymske, Troyitske, Zaitseve, Shakhta Butivka, Hranitne, Opytne, Pavlopil.
2 Ukrainian servicemen wounded
2 enemy militants killed, 3 wounded (Ukrainian intelligence)
Ukraine's representative to Tripartite contact group Iryna Herashchenko reports that Russia is blocking restoration work in the Donbas, namely work on the Donetsk water filtration plant.

[Natalka]

Ivan Zhukov, call sign “Zhuk”, was killed in combat near Maryinka, Donetsk Oblast on May 23, 2018.
Ivan was born in Dubno, Rivne Oblast in 1968.
Due to his health, Ivan was refused by the Armed Forces, but in January 2015, he joined the Volunteer Corps and served in the Separate Infantry Company “Volyn”.
Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!