The situation in Donbas gets tenser. The enemy shelled Ukrainian Army positions 148 times in the last 24 hours. Most of the shelling happens in the evening and at night. Before the shelling was chaotic, but now shelling start simultaneously and with similar intensity as if they were coordinated from one center.

Donetsk and Horlivka

Russian military vehicles are entering Ukraine via occupied border checkpoint “Uspenka” in Donetsk Region. Before there were few vehicles, but now there are big convoys from Russia crossing the border during a daytime in front of civilians.

In Donetsk and Horlivka the shelling is chaotic with random targets… The scenario of shelling of those cities is very similar. Before shelling starts they spread panic via media and TV saying that Ukrainian Army plans to attack and storm the cities. After that insurgents start shelling Ukrainian Army positions (at least they say so) using heavy artillery and MRSL. But residential areas with civil population get shelled and there is a lot of damage. Right after that insurgents imitate return fire shelling cities from where they shelled Ukrainian positions and they explain that those attacks talking about enemy saboteur groups that they can’t catch.

The curfew was shifted to earlier time in both cities, probably to minimize the number of witnesses who can report about insurgents’ mortars and artillery that moves inside cities imitating Ukrainian saboteur groups activity. In the morning insurgents research damaged residential areas searching for “evidence” that indicate who is guilty in shelling. After that reports of Russian TV channels immediately arrive there.

In both cities, Donetsk and Horlivka, this scenario repeats identically and symmetrically.

Mariupol, Debaltseve and Lugansk Region

Military vehicles move there more often in the direction of Pervomaisk, Debaltseve and contact line. Stanytsia Luhanska and Shchastya cities located behind the contact line on Ukraine controlled territory are shelled almost every day. Insurgents also spread panic using media and TV saying that Ukrainian Army is going to attack, so this way they try to justify their activity.

The situation on Mariupol direction also gets tenser. Sartana village located near Mariupol was shelled yesterday from the direction of Sakhanka and Kominternovo villages controlled by Russian troops and by insurgents. As the result of that shelling there are casualties among civil population including children. The mayor of Mariupol declared August 17 the day of mourning for people killed in Sartana.

From the other side there is a general trend inside insurgents groups, everyday they start to think more what would be better, spend 8-15 years in prison for terrorism or to end up feeding the worms for the Russian world…

Crimea

Salt marshes started to spread around Crimea… (North part, closer to Sivash). About a month ago specialists reported about environmental changes in the areas where representatives of local fauna live, specially birds. They took some samples and were shocked. The salinity of the soil has significantly increased. If it will continue like that after 1.5-2 years Crimea will turn into a desert with life only at isthmus according to scientists. Crimea will be returned with huge problem that would require decades in order to be solved. It is clear that Russia needs Crimea only as a military base.

Kliment Yarovoy for informator.lg.ua