Protests in Ukraine escalate

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Ukraine reports full ceasefire iin Donbas from 00:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time on Sunday, December 23.However, Russian occupation forces open fire in Pisky, Donetsk Oblast, using grenade launchers and large-caliber machine guns.

No casualties on the Ukrainian side.1 enemy militant killed, 2 wounded.

Chairman of British-Ukraine All-Party Parliamentary Group John Whittingdale and former Defence Secretary Michael Fallon visit Mariupol to gain insight into the problems Azov Sea ports, in particular, the checks by Russia on ships entering and exiting Kerch-Yenikale channel.



... Day prior...

Russian proxies launch 5 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Mariupol sectors, 3 using heavy artillery and mortars.


No casualties on the Ukrainian side.
2 enemy militants killed, 1 wounded.


More than a dozen SU-27 and SU-30 fighter jets, which Russia is deploying to boost its air force, amid heightened tensions with Ukraine, landed at Belbek air base near Sevastopol in Russian-occupied Crimea

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

The war recognizes no Christmas as bullets keep flying and tanks keep rolling...Russian-led forces launch 20 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors, 7 using heavy artillery and mortars proscribed by Minsk.

3 Ukrainian soldiers wounded.1 enemy soldier killed, 3 wounded.

OSCE Secretary General Thomas Greminger says situation in eastern Ukraine, as well as on the seas, could escalate any moment & become much more dangerous as Russia does not intend to stop supporting the separatists and is not ready to make concessions.

[Natalka]

The Media Initiative Group for Human Rights (Медійна ініціатива за права людини) reports that at least 89 Ukrainian civilians are being held hostage in the occupied territories of the Donbas. Human rights activists have managed to gather some information about these persons. Their families have been waiting for months, or even years. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s representatives in Minsk have repeatedly pointed out that Russia continues to block negotiations on the exchange of prisoners.

http://euromaidanpress.com/2018/12/2...cupied-donbas/

[Natalka]

Yevhen Tonenkov, nom de guerre “Stalker”, was killed by a sniper bullet near Krymske, Luhansk Oblast on December 25, 2018.

Yevhen was born in Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast on April 24, 1990. On the front lines for almost 4 years, he served as gunner in the 109th Battalion of the 10th Separate Mountain Assault Brigade.
Yevhen leaves behind his grieving wife, a medic who served with him in the same brigade.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!
Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone
Russian proxies launch 5 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors, 2 using heavy artillery and mortars.

1 Ukrainian soldier killed, 1 wounded.1 enemy insurgent killed, 2 wounded.

OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine spots 22 Grad multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) in occupied Donbas.

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Russian mercenaries launch 7 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Mariupol sectors, 1 using heavy artillery and mortars.

No casualties on the Ukrainian side.2 enemy militants killed, 1 wounded.

Yuriy Biriukov, adviser to President Petro Poroshenko, says that almost the entire "grey" zone in the Donbas, has been liberated & is under control of the Ukrainian army.

Despite lifting of martial law, Ukrainian State Border Guard Service maintain tightened control on the border with Russia, in particular, the ban on entry Russian male citizens into Ukraine.

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Russian-backed forces launch 11 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Mariupol sectors, 2 using heavy artillery and mortars banned by Minsk.

1 Ukrainian soldier wounded.1 enemy militant killed, 2 wounded.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel & French President Emmanuel Macron demand Russia release Ukrainian sailors in Kerch Strait on November 25.

Ukraine’s representative to the Trilateral Contact Group, First Vice Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, Iryna Herashchenko: "Russian representatives and their puppets from occupied Donetsk and Luhansk (ORDLO) have refused to hold a videoconference of the humanitarian subgroup on December 29 to agree on the release of the hostages."

[Natalka]

Ihor Tarnovetsky died of a heart attack in the war zone (probably in the vicinity of Maryinka) on December 26, 2018.

Ihor was born on June 12, 1985 in Nepolokivtsi, Chernivtsi Oblast. His dream was to become a soldier, but he was refused for medical reasons. In 2015, he left his well-paying job in Chernivtsi to volunteer for service in the Ukrainian Army. He served as senior lieutenant and topographer in the 28th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

Вічна Пам’ять! Eternal Memory!

Герої не вмирають! Heroes Never Die!

[Natalka]

By Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, very brave of them to put this up
Enlarge pic to read English at top

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

And the "New Year's truce" continues.... Russian terrorists launch 6 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors.

No casualties on the Ukrainian sode.3 enemy militants killed, 3 wounded.

Russia has deployed biggest part of its Black Sea fleet in Azov Sea. The overall number is 100, including 40 military ships while Ukraine has 2 military ships and 2 boats.

In a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin on Dec 28,German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged him to free 24 Ukrainian sailors captured near Kerch Strait on November 25.

[Natalka]

The Russian Foreign Ministry has rejected what it says are unacceptable demands by Germany and France to release Ukrainian soldiers held by Russia.

The statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry on December 29 follows an appeal by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in a statement on December 28.#FreeAzovSeaSailors

https://www.rferl.org/a/merkel-putin.../29682464.html

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

Russian proxy forces launch 2 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Mariupol sectors.

No casualties on the Ukrainian sode.3 enemy militants killed, 4 wounded.

Russian-led occupation forces continue massing heavy weapons near Russian occupied Luhansk in Donbas, and conduct live-fire exercises,

[Natalka]

Russia’s plans foiled as all 24 imprisoned Ukrainian sailors declare themselves POWs

http://khpg.org/en/index.php?id=1546044606

Although the men’s POW status was never seriously in question, all have been, and remain, under immense pressure from the FSB to ‘confess’ to non-existent crimes. Given the conditions the men are being held in, the fact that all have remained unwavering is a credit to them, and to their lawyers #FreeUkrainianPOWs #POW #LetMyPeopleGo

[Natalka]

Past 24 hours in the war zone

So-called "New Year's truce" takes root as Russian-backed mercenaries launch 4 attacks on Ukrainian positions in Luhansk, Donetsk and Mariupol sectors, 3 using heavy artillery and mortars.

2 Ukrainian soldiers wounded.2 enemy soldiers killed, 3 wounded.

U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch has stated that U.S. sanctions vs Russia over the conflict in Donbas are a principled position of Washington.

“Our sanctions related to the conflict in Donbas will remain in force until Russia withdraws its troops from Donbas. The Crimean sanctions will also remain in effect until Russia returns the peninsula to Ukraine.”

[Natalka]

20 hrs ago...

Welcome to the "New year's truce" as Russian hybrid troops launch 3 attacks against Ukrainian positions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Mariupol sectors, 1 using heavy artillery and mortars.

1 Ukrainian soldier killed, 2 wounded.1 enemy insurgent killed, 4 wounded.

New OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Miroslav Lajčák, will visit Donbas in 2 weeks.Defense Ministry of Ukraine: "Russian Federation continues to deploys military along state border of Ukraine. As of end of December, 28 tactical battalion groups were deployed near the borders & in Crimea. Total number (excluding those stationed in occupied Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts) reaches 53,000 servicemen."