At night from 12 to 13 of July the ATO Forces managed to prevent entry of Russian troops in Ukraine

At night from 12th to 13th of July Ukraine was on the brink of a full scale war with Russia. All operating units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the National Guard were put on a high alert, all the aircraft was ready to take off in the air. Interceptors Su27 and Mig29 were raised in the air. It was expected that Russia will start targeted bombing of the Ukrainian ATO Forces, to cover move of the main group of Russian troops towards Donetsk and Luhansk.

Today at 00:45 a convoy of Russian armoured vehicles entered Ukrainian territory via the border crossing point “Izvarino”. Different sources in the Ministry of Defence and in the State Border Agency estimate this to be from 100 to 200 vehicles. These are tanks, APCs and armoured Kamaz vehicles. It was only ONE of the main attacking groups under Russian flags and without insignia. Some of the vehicles had marking of peacekeeping Russian Forces. At the same a constant shelling from howitzer artillery and MLRS “Grad” of Ukrainian units in the area of the border with Russia was carried out from the territory of the Russian Federation.

Aviation was raised and all types of troops and forces were put on high alert. For the first time the attack aircraft was reinforced by air cover – interceptors, as Russian opposition of air defence system was expected. However, the Russians at the last moment did not dare to cross the border of Ukraine. As a result, the convoy was attacked from the air, part of the equipment destroyed, part went back to Russia.

A source in the ATO zone wrote in his blog: “I draw your attention to the seriousness of the situation: for the first time during the conflict eyewitnesses indicate that the vehicles were under the RUSSIAN FLAG! (not some Georgian or DPR or LPR ribbons). Management of the ATO and other relevant agencies clearly considered the actions of Russia as a military invasion on the territory of Ukraine.”

The President Petro Poroshenko, the Speaker of the Parliament and the Cabinet were immediately informed about break through of Russian troops. Thanks to the full mobilization of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, effective work of the air defence and aviation of Ukraine, full readiness of the General Staff to repel the Russian troops, Russia did not risk to carry out an open aggression taking into account both the political losses and potential multi-thousand losses from possible strikes of the Ukrainian Army in the ATO zone, personnel of which consists of more than 50,000 troops, hundreds of tanks, BMP and APC, with cover provided by strategic artillery (MLRS “Smerch”, “Urahan”, ACS “MSTA-S”, “Hiatsint”). Several other operational battalion groups did not dare to cross the border with Ukraine, fearing to be scattered.

Understanding the complexity of the situation, the General Staff decided to bring forward the operation to free Lugansk, closing on the city from the Western and Eastern directions, putting the task to liberate the city during the next few days and split LPR group into several parts. As a result of the operation the Luhansk airport was freed by lunchtime and most of the main roads from the West and the South were cut off by Ukrainian Forces. Enemy force of 50 combat vehicles, which tried to break through towards Alchevsk were destroyed by Ukrainian artillery and aviation. By the evening of July 13 Ukrainian troops moved into neighborhood of Luhansk and special units stormed strongholds of the separatist on the city itself.  At present, according to eyewitness reports, LPR units in Luhansk are completely blocked. Remains of separatists retreated towards Alchevsk; there is a constant patrol of Ukrainian aviation in the air to counteract possible breakthrough of armoured groups from Russia.

According to a source in the ATO headquarters the situation remains tense. At the same time taking control over Luhansk is a matter of few days if Russia will not make large-scale attempts to break through the border with Ukraine with armoured groups. It is also known that the General Staff of the Russian Army discusses options to carry out an air strike on Ukrainian Forces in the ATO zone, but they fear counteraction of the Ukrainian air defence, also they do not have enough intelligence about the situation in the ATO zone. At the same time Ukrainian troops successfully storm strongholds of militants in Donetsk, expecting to completely surround the capital of Donnas in the next few days. Losses of militants over the past two days are estimated at around 1000 – 2000 people and 100-150 units of various military equipment.

An InfoResist source from the ATO zone confirmed this information.

Виктор Шевчук