The Battle for Novorussiya

[Lauren Johnson]

The cease fire is over, and the NAF is actually on the offensive -- according this source.

Lugansk area. Since yesterday, active exchange of artillery fire between NAF and UAF has been intensified near Chernukhino and Kamenka. Last night the Ukrainian army was firing back towards residential area of Pervomaisk and Slavyanoserbsk. Ukrainian armed forces destroyed with direct hit the building of emergency station and hospital in Slavyanoserbsk.

The artillery fire lasted during the whole night. The UAF were firing with MLRS at the Militia's positions at the 31st road block near Novotoshkovka, and along the line of defence between the 31st and 37th road blocks. Ukrainian army tried to get a passage near Krymskoe, but they were defeated by the Militia. According to the data provided by the LPR, the Militia liberated Novotoshkovka and defeated the surrounded Ukrainian units. For now Ukrainian occupants consolidated their position in Orekhovo-Donetskoe. There is an information about reinforcements of UAF at the 29th road block.

Last night Ukrainian armed forces also heavily fired Stakhanov and Stanichno-Luganskiy district of Lugansk. There are casualties among civilians and destructions in the residential area.

The UAF were on offensive near Schastie firing towards the village of Veselaya Gora, but The Militia managed to hold their positions.

Donetsk area. The military units of the 4th mechanized brigade under command of Mozgovoy liberated Redkodub, Polevoe and Novoorlovka, and approached Troitskoe (between Debaltsevo and Popasnaya). Currently, there is fighting in Troitskoe. Yesterday noon, the UAF hit the bus with locals in Dokuchaevsk.

The UAF were firing at Donetsk from the direcntion of Peski and Avdeevka. According to the data, coming from the DPR Militia, the Ukrainian army is now retreating from Peski. The NAF is holding their fire, providing them with opportunity to leave. Among the retreating fighters, there are paratroopers of the 80th Lvov Air Cavalry Brigade, who under Poroshenko's order were supposed to fight for the destroyed new terminal of Donetsk airport. The Militia is fighting back against the UAF units near Dzerzhinsk.

They defeated the 57[SUP]th[/SUP] Brigade near Gorlovka, but the Ukrainian army resumed heavy firing of the city in the afternoon, intensifying it last night, trying to break through into the city. There was an information about few dwelling houses burnt in result of shelling. Major destructions got the districts of Kurganka, Komsomolets, and Gorlovka Central District. Presumably, there are casualties. People experienced mobile connection outage, there was power shutdown in some districts.

The Novorossiya troops approached Mariupol and took the footholds, left by Ukrainian fighters after they had been pushed northwards of the town.

Today the army of Novorossiya, being on the offensive, is slowly approaching Debaltsevo. The Ukrainian troops are continuously firing at Gorlovka, Kieveskiy and Kuibyshevskiy districts of Donetsk.

Here's a map of the Novorussiya contested conflict zones. For the zoomable version, look here for great detail.