Militants attack Ukrainian strongholds in Donbas
Today, on February 18, militants went on the offensive and attacked Ukrainian strongholds near the Zolote settlement in Donbas. It was reported by journalist Yurii Butusov on his Facebook page.
According to him, the battle began around 5:00 a.m. and it is still ongoing, the occupants are applying all weapons, including 152-mm artillery and 120-mm mortars.
"The enemy covers the military dispositions of the 72nd and 93rd Mechanized Brigades on the broad front in Zolote - Orikhove – Novotoshkivka area of disengagement. There was a close fight with the Russian assault group at one of the strongholds. Our artillery opened fire, reserves are being brought up," Butusov noted.
He also added that there had been no such large-scale fighting at the front since 2018.
At the same time, the Joint Forces Operation HQ reported that the militants had switched to active offensives and attempted to advance through the line of demarcation.
"As of now, there is a fight. Unfortunately, Ukrainian defenders have suffered losses due to enemy shellings," the staff said.
One Ukrainian serviceman was killed and four were severely wounded.
As we reported earlier, on February 17, militants violated the ceasefire in Donbas seven times, using 120-mm and 82-mm mortars, as well as grenade/rocket launchers and large-caliber machine guns.
Pro-Russian militants made a statement that the Ukrainian military were the first to open the fire in the morning, February 18 as HQ of the Joint Operation Forces reported on Facebook.
“After losing in the field of battle, the enemy decided to conceal his defeat and made a hastily drafted statement, accusing the Ukrainian side in the attempt of attack. The whole sense of the hostile statement shows the confusion and loss of control over the situation,” the message said.
Besides, the HQ underlined that the Ukrainian military fulfill Minks Agreements and never start to shot the first.
On February 18, about 5:00 a.m. the militants started the attacks of Ukrainian strongholds in Donbas.
However, after 10:00 a.m. the fight ended: the militants requested the ceasefire regime to evacuate the dead and wounded from the battle filed. The Ukrainian military kept their positions.
Both sides sustain losses – each of them has one deceased; there are found lightly wounded at the Ukrainian side and five seriously wounded at the hostile side.
