"From 18:00 to 24:00 Kyiv time on Thursday, illegal armed groups attacked Ukrainian troops more than 40 times, using banned weapons 23 times," the report reads.
According to the ATO press center, the Kremlin terrorists continue their attacks on peaceful villages. At 17:30 on Thursday, they fired 152mm artillery on the town of Avdiyivka, and at 17:33 and 22:26 they fired 120mm mortars on the village of Opytne. In addition, at 18:24 they fired a tank on Avdiyivka.
It is reported that during the shelling of the positions of ATO forces the militants used 152mm and 122m artillery four times, 120mm mortars about 20 times, as well as tanks. Ukrainian defensive positions were repeatedly attacked with 120mm mortars near the villages of Orikhove, Opytne, Novotoshkivske, and Pisky.
According to the report, on July 16, the Ukrainian military twice stopped the breakthrough of sabotage and reconnaissance groups into the rear. At 13:20, a military clash took place near the village of Stariy Aidar, and at 19:00 near Avdiyivka. Ukrainian military forced the enemy to retreat.
As of 06:00 Kyiv time on July 17, terrorists continued to attack ATO forces. They fired many times on the town of Schastia, the villages of Pisky, Stanytsia Luhanska and Shyrokyne. At 00:10, the militants fired 120mm mortars on Ukrainian army positions near the village of Khimik.
"The situation in Donbas is controlled by ATO forces. The Ukrainian armed forces are firmly holding their defensive positions and ready for any scenario of developments," the press center said.
