Ukraine war updates from the war zone in southeast Ukraine as of July 18, 2016 by ATO HQ operational data and Presidential Administration spokesman on ATO issues briefing: EMPR highlights.
(1) The situation in the war zone in southeast Ukraine remains tense. Russian armed forces and their proxies opened fire 64 times over the last day, in particular: 7 times on Luhansk direction, 40 times on Donetsk direction and 17 on Mariupol direction;
(2) Luhansk direction: the village of Staruy Aidar with its suburbs came under massive Russian fire from 82-mm mortars, antiaircraft installation and grenade launchers; the village of Orikhove on Bakhmut root have been shelled with Russian grenade launchers; Popasna area also came under Russian occupiers fire; in addition, the enemy used 120-mm mortar fire near Novozvanivka; to this end, 2 of 7 Russian shelling fulfilled from heavy weaponry;
(3) Donetsk direction: Russian forces launched round the clock attacks at Avdiivka industrial area; in particular, the enemy fulfilled massive 5-hours-long firing with forbidden by the Minsk agreements mortar launchers; it resulted demages of 2 residential houses and injury of the 1 civilian; besides mentioned type of weaoponry, the enemy used grenade launchers and high caliber machine guns in Avdiivka, Zaytseve and Mayorsk; in addition, Russian occupiers actively used 120-mm mortars near the village of Dacha and 82-mm mortars near Verkhnyotoretske; another hot point reported in Zaytseve, where the enemy used 82-mm mortar fire against Ukrainian troops; Russian occupiers also violated ceasefire regime in Novgorodske with grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and anti-aircraft installations; in addition, Russian provocations reported at Svitlodarska line and near Butovka mine; to this end, 17 of 40 shelling launched by the enemy with the use of heavy and forbidden weaponry;
(4) Mariupol direction: 7 mortar and 3 sniper shelling launched by Russian forces on this direction; 120-mm mortar firing have luanched by Russian occupiers in Starognativka, Shyrokino, Novoselivka and Hnutove; the hottest spots reported in Starognativka and Shyrokino; the enemy also used APCs and sniper fire in Maryinka; as result, local woman was wounded; it worth mention, that 5 residential houses have been damaged by Russian occupiers’s fire there over the last 3 days; Russian attack with the use of forbidden 82-mm mortars reported near Pavlopil;
(5) Russian forces’ losses in the war zone in southeast Ukraine over the last day are as follows: 3 killed and 7 wounded;
(6) 1 Ukrainian serviceman was killed in action and 5 servicemen were wounded in action in southeast Ukraine over the last day.
