No change. Heavy weapons use is still on the increase. And so is the corresponding pain inflicted on Ukrainian civilians living along the front line.
On Thurs, Russia’s troops launched a total of 12 firing attacks, with 8 of them using heavy weapons. Ukraine’s military also report an increase in enemy UAV flights to adjust their firing effectiveness, with several shot down over recent days. Yesterday, 3 Ukrainian soldiers were reported wounded.
To give a sense of what 12 firing attacks and Ukrainian return fire translates into, here’s today’s OSCE report for Thursday. They observe a substantial increase in shelling.
Donetsk region – 550 explosions recorded compared to 170 on Wed.
Luhansk region – 100 explosions compared to 7 on Wed.
And as seen below, the OSCE report the now standard harassment by Russia’s forces, as they continue to block OSCE patrols at checkpoints until they reveal where they intend to patrol. Not how patrols are delayed at checkpoints whilst Russian hardware is presumably hidden from view.
House destroyed by Russian shelling.
Born in 1949, Victor Frolov home was totally destroyed on Thursday by Russian shells. Living in the front line village of Novoluhanske, several artillery shells slammed into his home, reducing it to a smoldering ruin. By God’s grace Victor survived with only scratches and bruises. Refusing to be taken to hospital, one imagines the psychological trauma of loosing his home and possessions will take far longer to heal than his wounds.
Russian forces are positioned just a few kilometers beyond the village. Ever since Russia captured the nearby town of Debaltseve in a bloody and protracted battle in 2015, this area has been a front line hot spot.
Glasnost Gone 