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Russian-backed separatists have intensified the scale of attacks on Ukrainian positions along the front line in Donbas undermining their recent efforts to advertise their “peaceful intentions.”
Civilian areas in both government and separatist-held areas came under increased fire this week despite a breakthrough in negotiations over the withdrawal of weapons from the front line.
The rapid deterioration of political negotiations between the separatist “republics” and Kyiv may trigger a military escalation by the Russian-backed forces, which continue to conduct heavy indirect fire strikes against frontline Ukrainian positions.
Separatists continued to target Ukrainian forces with heavy weapons and small reconnaissance units across the front line in Donbas as both Ukrainian and separatist leaders combatted new internal security threats.
In the week following the Ukrainian surrender of Debaltseve, a strategic rail junction between the separatist strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk, the conflict has exhibited a pattern of hostilities reminiscent of the frequently violated ceasefire period from September 2014 to January 2015.
Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire in Minsk, Belarus on February 12, while the Russian-backed separatist forces had nearly encircled the key city of Debaltseve.
Russian-backed separatists intensified attacks along multiple frontline positions in Ukraine in early December 2015, demonstrating Moscow’s intent to continue destabilizing Ukraine after a two-month operational pause that coincided with the launch of Russian operations in Syria. Russia’s proxies in Ukraine increasingly launched attacks using heavy weapons on major flashpoints in Donetsk Oblast since fighting resumed in November while separatists in neighboring Luhansk Oblast remain less active.
Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine continued to launch indirect fire and probing infantry attacks against Ukrainian forces in a similar pattern to recent weeks as negotiators from Kyiv, Moscow and the separatist “republics” convened in Minsk to discuss the failing February 2015 ‘Minsk II’ ceasefire agreement.
Russian-backed separatists continued to engage Ukrainian forces with indirect fire along the front line in Donbas, as talks resumed on the implementation of the February “Minsk II” ceasefire agreement. Separatist indirect fire killed two Ukrainian troops less than 10 kilometers outside of Mariupol, one week after a separatist artillery barrage killed three civilians in a suburb of the strategic port city.
Russian-backed separatists continued to engage Ukrainian forces with indirect fire along the front line in Donbas, as talks resumed on the implementation of the February “Minsk II” ceasefire agreement.