Ukraine's Azov Regiment said artillery battles had been raging east of Mariupol throughout Feb. 5 and that toward the evening rockets were fired by Grad multiple launchers deployed in militants-controlled territory against Azov's positions.
“Azov’s positions have just been attacked. Grads were used again. There are no losses,” the regiment said on the VKontakte social network.
At the same time, Azov cited unconfirmed reports as saying Ukrainian forces sustained losses in a battle in the village of Shyrokyne, Volnovakha district. Details of the battle and the casualty toll were being clarified.
“Artillery battles are going on throughout the frontline in Sector M, in particular Pavlopil, Shyrokyne and eastern approaches to Mariupol,” Azov said.
The militants’ forces were using mortars, tanks, artillery guns and rocket launchers, it said. “Our artillery isn’t abating either,” Azov said.
In a later report on VKontakte, Azov said: “In Debaltseve there’s unabated fire from enemy artillery, there was fire from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.”
The command of the Ukrainian operation in eastern Ukraine said in a report on Wednesday evening that militants had carried out 42 artillery attacks on Ukrainian positions during the day.
The militia launched its most intensive attacks in the vicinity of Debaltseve, the command said in a statement posted on Facebook. Rockets and tank cannon targeted Debaltseve, the villages of Chornukhyne, Sanzharivka, Troitske, Ridkodub and Novohryhorivka, and the town of Zolote.
Militants’ forces tried to launch an offensive against Ukrainian forces neat Ridkodub, the statement said.
It said Debaltseve was under Ukrainian control but that militants’ attacks were damaging infrastructure.
In Luhansk region, the villages of Stanytsia Luhanska, Novotoshkivske and Slovyanoserbsk were shelled.
The statement cited an unconfirmed report as saying 18 militants’ fighters had been killed and 55 wounded on Wednesday.
It denied allegations that militants’ aircraft had destroyed a Ukrainian armor column.
