ATO

Under shadow of Russia’s war, Ukrainian veterans and families of fallen try to move on The trench lines of Europe’s only ongoing land war are six hours away by train from Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv. But you can hardly tell. Businesses and bars and universities and protests and politics—in other words, life—all go on and on despite the war. 22.10.18 10:33 327 0 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

A lesson for NATO from Ukraine: In a war with Russia, smartphones might be the safest way to communicate After four years of constant combat against Russia and its separatist proxies in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian troops have learned the value of creativity in warfare. 10.04.18 13:58 2 518 0 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

How trade blockade affected fighting in the Donbas To return the Donbas, we need to fight for it at all cost, genuinely, without ‘deals,’ so that the occupation stops benefiting Moscow, so that the occupation costs too much, both resources-wise and, most of all, human-wise. 16.03.17 17:50 96 536 125 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine Blockade of "DPR/LPR" War

Heavy fighting at Avdiivka area These positions of the 11th motorized rifle brigade of the so-called “Defense Ministry” of self-proclaimed “Donetsk People’s Republic” and the 100th brigade of the self-styled “republican guard” near the Yasynuvata junction have seen heavy fighting since late evening of Jan. 28. 30.01.17 17:45 219 824 154 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

Chronicle of Defense of Donetsk airport new terminal on Jan. 13-21, 2015 Jan. 21, 2015 was the last day of defense for the new terminal in the Donetsk international airport, often referred to as DAP. 23.01.17 17:14 59 361 43 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

Fighting at Svitlodarsk. Situation report as of Dec. 21. Dec. 18 and 19 were two days of unstopping fighting. On the third day, Dec. 20, the combat continued but the situation got quieter. Shots still could be heard, but the booming abated. 21.12.16 13:01 183 600 142 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine Svitlodarsk fighting

Svitlodarsk fighting of Dec. 18 and 19: Seven Ukrainian soldiers killed, one missing in action The enemy has abandoned the bodies of mercenaries on the battlefield and is disguising its losses. 20.12.16 16:45 184 455 80 Previously in trend: Svitlodarsk fighting

Major Yevhen Slominskyi of 8th Spetsnaz regiment: “Roma, at the expense of his life, gagged machine gunner who wounded three our soldiers” 26-year-old Roman Matviiets of the 8th Spetsnaz regiment was killed near Popasna, the Luhansk region, covering three gravely wounded soldiers: his commander, Major Yevhen Slominskyi and two scouts of the 11th Kyivska Rus Battalion Petro Korsak and Serhii Vovchuk. 05.08.16 13:46 107 393 0 Previously in trend: Episodes of the Russian-Ukrainian war

Advanced point. Last battle of 73rd Center soldiers Yurii Horaiskyi and Oleksandr Khmeliarov on March 4, 2016. Two Ukrainian Spetznaz [special forces – ed.] soldiers died like heroes on March 4, 2016 near Dokuchaievsk, the Donetsk region. 08.03.16 12:50 121 164 116 Previously in trend: Episodes of the Russian-Ukrainian war

Jan. 18, 2015. Lieutenant Ivan Zhdan and Sergeant-Major Anatolii Skrytskyi destroyed four tanks and Putylivskyi bridge in Donetsk On Jan. 18 one of the most vivid events in the battles for the Donetsk airport took place: Ukrainian tankmen assaulted the enemy in Spartak village and conducted one of the most audacious and effective tank battles in the Russian-Ukrainian war. 20.01.16 18:35 117 121 89 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

When will the war end? Combat activities have lost their stress. Neither Ukrainian army nor the enemy is conducting military operations. Massive artillery strikes have halted. Everyone, military uppermost, are asking – what’s next? For how long will the deceptive quiet last, in which only stray bullets whistle? Will the large-scale war return? Will there be a political solution, peace, and for how long will the anti-terrorist operation last? 22.09.15 17:37 79 207 123 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine War

Events of Aug. 6-7, 2014. 72nd mechanized brigade commander Mykhailo Drapatyi headed breakthrough of Ukrainian troops from encirclement near Chervonopartyzansk A year ago, the Ukrainian army stationed at the far border with Russia, near Chervonopartyzansk, Dovzhanske, and Diakove conducted one of the first most desperate moves which proved that the Ukrainian army would fight and not give up. 11.08.15 10:59 80 360 155 Previously in trend: Russian aggression against Ukraine

Denys "Klishch", gunfire spotter: "I was inside the watchtower when it crashed down, but the headquarters considers me a deserter" On weekends, the enemy arranged a sort of 'safari tour' to entertain their visitors from Russia to shoot at us. They just paid money to the ‘DPR’ separatists, or brought some humanitarian aid in exchange for permission to "shoot Ukrainians.” However, there were some losers among them who remained there forever because they thought we were poor fighters. 16.04.15 17:25 188 132 127 Previously in trend: Fighting for the Donetsk airport

The town of Shchastia is a lottery. Some win to live, some don’t I take a walk around Shchastia, a small town in the east of Ukraine, in the company of Maksym, a very young soldier. They say it is not safe to walk here alone with a camera. 09.04.15 18:07 67 063 124 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

Ukraine Forces Open New Front Against Separatists Near Mariupol Eastern Ukraine clashes between the pro-Russian rebels and Ukrainian armed forces intensified before the next round of Minsk talks. The Donetsk region city of Kramatorsk was shelled Tuesday, killing up to seven civilians. A look-in-depth into the situation at the Ukrainian front line by The Wall Street Journal. 10.02.15 17:18 511 0 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

Chaplain Oleh Usatiuk: “There are no godless people at war. Everybody prays in a trench under Grad shelling.” On the Catholic Christmas Eve, Censor.NET posts interview about how courage and fear, drinking and God get along at the front line. 24.12.14 19:16 31 836 55 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

Vasyl Kovalchuk: "We were fired upon while shouting loudly: "Corridor! Don't shoot!" Sloviansk, Savur Mohyla, Ilovaisk. Vasyl Kovalchuk has gone through the worst battles of the war. Friendly and polite, with steel endurance and keen sense of justice, he was sharing his memories of those terrible and still quite fresh moments of the war that continues. 04.10.14 01:19 984 0

Swedish Volunteer Sniper Mikael Skillt Fighting in Azov Battalion: First We Were Fighting Some Di#kheads. Now We Are Up Against the Russian Army It’s no secret that volunteer battalions of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine have volunteers from other countries. Swedish national Mikael Skillt is one of them. He has been fighting in Azov battalion since its first days, though he initially came to Ukraine to support the Maidan. He does regret that he was a couple of days left nevertheless he’s had his say in the support of the Ukrainian freedom. 19.09.14 17:37 6 864 0

No Hasavyurt, No Brest Peace Will be Enough for Putin Today, Commander-in-Chief Petro Poroshenko will hold a meeting with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense. Important words will be voiced. But these words will not change anything, unless they will be backed up by an action plan. Unless, through the decisions and plans you can see specific soldiers and specific officers who go into battle, who are helped by the Ministry to defeat the enemy in the best possible way. 10.09.14 10:53 70 283 65 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

MILITARY MAIDAN The anti-terrorist operation in the Donbas is a military Maidan. The achievements, the progress, the liberated towns and villages resulted from the heroism of specific soldiers, officers, and commanders. Every place where we stand our ground under fire of the Russian Grads and Uragans is being held by self-sacrifice of specific people. 03.09.14 09:51 59 474 119 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

After Ilovaisk Heletei and Muzhenko Must Be Kicked Out of the Army! How insanely hard it is... To see, to ask, to write and not be able to change anything ... But now we must change everything. For a long time not only me but other people - including officers and soldiers tried to convey simple, logical demands regarding the response to the Russian advance to the ATO command and the Ministry of Defense. 31.08.14 15:37 258 634 877 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

Operational Situation Analysis. August 28, 13:00 I will now state my personal and very subjective opinion. And you need to take it considering that the author is a journalist and does not pretend to be the ultimate truth. I'm just very concerned that too many of my predictions for the development of the military operation, alas, came true. Yesterday, at a meeting with Commander-in-Chief Petro Poroshenko, he said that he reads my articles on military topics and is ready to get acquainted with new proposals, if I write an up-to-date and relevant materiall. Ok. I will write very unpleasant things. But it has become customary. 28.08.14 16:43 192 635 247 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

Operational Situation as of 12:00, August 25 Russia has conducted an intrusion by the forces of at least four battalion tactical groups. The objective is to cut the Ukrainian Front in the area Amvrosiivka, operational encirclement of our troops near Ilovaisk, Torez, Shakhtarsk. One of the Russian columns is moving towards Mariupol. 25.08.14 13:22 157 480 203 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

Battle For Ilovaisk The Battle for Ilovaisk was the first battle of Ukrainian volunteer battalions. The battle is of strategic importance. Ilovaisk is the key to intercept communications of the Donetsk group of Russian mercenaries. Taking Ilovaisk endangers the Donetsk enemy forces and creates the conditions to close the encirclement of Donetsk. 20.08.14 15:21 160 964 161 Previously in trend: Battle for Donetsk

War And Counterattack Of Russian Troops In The Donbas What happened? Russian troops launched a massive counter-attack in the Donbas. It is a military invasion of Russia. Yes, it's a fact. This is something that has already happened. The military situation in the Donbas has seriously changed. 18.08.14 11:49 361 076 1 057 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

Mistakes of Anti-Terrorist Operation Strategic Command The main problem of the Ukrainian anti-terrorist operations command is very slow threat analysis and assessment. It is very sad that even after the tragic lessons of fighting in the Sector D, the command did not make proper conclusions from it. We must think fast, we have to work with data sets. If you assess the situation in terms of operational art, the following errors are obvious. 12.08.14 14:04 184 894 147 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

They Broke Through. Heroes of Sector D Are Out of the Encirclement As a result of three days of fierce fighting in the area of Chervonopartyzansk, Dovzhanske, Diakove the surrounded group of Ukrainian troops of the individual units of the 24th, 51st and 72nd mechanized, 79th Airmobile brigades, 3rd Regiment of Special Forces and the State Border Service made a successful breakthrough from the entrapment and moved to join up with the main forces of the Ukrainian troops. 08.08.14 13:48 95 826 237 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

WE WILL WIN THIS WAR. IF EVERYONE BELIEVES AND CONTRIBUTES In three months we went from being a helpless territory conditionally controlled by the central government to becoming an actual state with its strength growing every day. 16.07.14 15:56 57 311 233 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

WAR STORIES. VOLONTEER ARMEN On the exit from Mykolaivka the militants have set up barricades. The car was trying to drive around them but on the side of the road the terrorists placed a landmine. An explosion ... the girl was saved only because her grandmother put her on her lap. The blast threw her 20 meters to the side. No one else survived. 13.07.14 14:53 26 565 27 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

LIBERATION OF SLOVIANSK: STRATEGIC VICTORY OF UKRAINE Liberation of Sloviansk means Putin’s abandonment of the idea of a military intervention and Russia's recognition of the right of Ukraine to completely destroy the terrorists in the Donbas. Ukraine has made a strategic victory in the war. 07.07.14 18:20 123 607 285 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

Conflicting Gestures From Putin to Ukraine Leaders MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia proffered both a carrot and a stick to Ukraine on Saturday, issuing a qualified acceptance of a peace plan proposed by the Ukrainian leadership to quell a separatist uprising in the southeast, but simultaneously putting troops across central Russia on combat alert and mounting surprise military drills. 23.06.14 12:24 88 0

TEN STEPS POROSHENKO MUST TAKE TODAY Stop fearing Western "peacekeepers", Mr. Poroshenko, they will not help Ukraine. It is time to mobilize all forces to fight the Russian aggression before the terrorist attacks have not started all over Ukraine. The truce is broken and the culprit is obvious. We will lose a lot. In case of war. But we will be helped by the whole world. And Putin's regime will collapse in war time. 20.06.14 12:08 107 687 219 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation

Russians Find Few Barriers to Joining Ukraine Battle The overall situation at the frontier remains murky; there is no evidence yet of a flood of men and arms crossing the border. Yet it is clear that numerous Russians, most of them war veterans, Cossacks or ultranationalists, have signed up to fight in Ukraine in recent weeks, either with recruiters or through one of several websites established expressly for enrolling them. 11.06.14 10:21 278 0

HOW TO BOOST MORALE OF ATO FORCES One reputable government department asked me - how to raise the morale of troops taking part in the ATO? How to raise the combat readiness of military units? How to build information work? We are humanists, we have no "secret agents" (osobists) and retreat blocking detachments (zagradotryad). 03.06.14 15:34 66 954 160 Previously in trend: Anti-Terrorist Operation