Today, on January 19, Head of DPR Alexander Zakharchenko said Kyev’s attempts to gain revenge near Donetsk failed.
“I can state with confidence that all the attempts of Ukraine’s troops to win back the airport to gain revenge for their last year’s defeat have failed. Ukraine’s army has suffered huge losses,” the DPR head’s press-service quotes Zakharchenko as saying.
“Infantry and armored vehicles had attacked the airport building for, at least, six times – with no success - within two days. Ukrainian military’s breakthrough into Donetsk was failed too. Unfortunately, the Putilov Bridge was destroyed. The breakthrough convoy moving along it was liquidated. Three troopers were captured.
“Ukraine uses ceasefire to arm and set up efficient unit able to fulfill battle tasks. We can see now that Ukraine breached the ceasefire and launched attacks. Never before had we experienced such heavy artillery attacks as over the last two days. Ukraine is shelling at residential buildings: children, elderly people, and women. They are using combat air force. Ukraine bombed Gorlovka overnight. A representative of the Coordination Center was caught under fire. Artillery shrapnel reached even the area near the OSCE Mission in Donetsk.
“We are peaceful people and we do not want war. We do not want to kill anyone. However, the Armed Forces of the Donetsk People’s Republic are capable of giving adequate response to all the encroachments of the enemies. Counterattacks resulted in military actions on the outskirts of Avdeyevka. The Peski community was twice passed from one side to other yesterday. We have completed the mopping-up operation today.
"I can say that the population is professedly inspired by patriotism. I’d like to address the world community, OSCE, once again: if you share our ceasefire aspirations, make Kyev fulfill the Minsk arrangements.”