Strelkov and Militia Briefings, July 13, 2014 – Lugansk Situation Report

Translated from Russian by Gleb Bazov
Note: This Is a Partial Briefing; Additions to Follow

July 13, 2014 – LPR Militia Briefing for Second Half of July 13, 2014

In the second half of the day, saboteur groups of the Ukrainian army continued to operate on the territory of Lugansk. At approximately 15:00, a mortar strike was conducted against the southern part of the city; School No. 51, a kindergarten and the facades of residential buildings nearby were severely damaged. A woman died on the school premises.

At approximately 19:30, from the Kammenobrodskiy disctrict, [the enemy] commenced mortar shelling of the city district close to where Battalion Zarya is quartered.

At 19:50, two aircraft of the Ukrainian air force were observed over Alchevskiy. They were flying in the direction of Lugansk.

Several hours earlier, the enemy conducted an airstrike against an LPR [Lugansk People’s Republic] checkpoint in the area of the Yubileyniy settlement. There were no casualties, wounded or dead, among the Militia personnel.

The enemy continued a maneuver, commenced at the beginning of the day, attempting to cut off Lugansk from the southwest. Ukrainian troops entered Sabovka. Heavy battles took place in Rodakovo.

[Following this maneuver,] the large column divided in two, with one part continuing in its attempts to encircle the city, seeking to occupy strategic heights, while the second part, totaling approximately one hundred vehicles, including tanks and self-propelled howitzers, continued on the path to the Lugansk airport.

Eyewitnesses report that the following incident took place in Georgievka: National Guard fighters shot dead a 6-year-old child; it is unclear at this time whether the shooting was intentional or accidental. Following this incident, the local residents, using hunting rifles and other light arms, shot dead approximately fifteen National Guard fighters and left the settlement. The local residents are now afraid that a punitive strike will be conducted against them.

16:11 – July 13, 2014 – Briefing from Igor Strelkov

Heavy fighting continues in Lugansk (on the outskirts of the city). A lot is unclear, but it has been confirmed that the enemy engaged approximately 70 of its tanks in two compact armoured groups. There is, so far unconfirmed, information about spentsnaz troops landing on helicopters directly in the city.

On our front, artillery exchanges continue along the battlefield lines, and the enemy is pulling in a lot of armoured vehicles, artillery and helicopters. Columns are advancing from the south and from the west.

22:30 – July 13, 2015 – Briefing from the Militia

Lugansk. Fierce artillery shelling is ongoing. [The enemy] is employing its air force and saboteur-reconnaisance groups. The airport is in our hands. Assault columns of the Militia are developing an advance toward the city of Shchastye.

Simultaneously with a tank attack in the north – in the area of Metallist (a suburb of Lugansk) – Ukies started another tank attack in the south. Due to lack of coordination [between their battle groups], their southern grouping only now (at 23:30) made it to the settlement of Roskoshnoye. Our troops will now start “extinguishing” them also.

Battles continue in the area of Saur-Mogila, Marinovka and Torez – Ukie air force was observed flying overhead and our anti-aircraft teams shot at them.

Ukies sent reinforcements toward Zelenopolye, so as to relieve and de-blockade those of their troops who are still alive. Fire was opened at the column in the Dyakovo area. Fighting also continues in the region of Uralo-Kavkaz, Porechye, Goncharovka.

Right now, there is a battle in the settlement of Roskoshnoye, which was entered by Ukie tanks. So you can visualize – the distance between Roskoshnoye and the airport is approximately 15 kilometres. The Militia’s artillery is hitting the advancing Ukie troops from the side of Metallist (a suburb of Lugansk).

There is a significant fire on the outskirts of the Lugansk airfield. Either they a fuel depot was hit, or the fields at Vidnoye are burning. Near Krasniy Partisan, [our forces] are exterminating yet another Ukie column.