Control over this area opens the way to the final liberation of the territory of Donbass
The People's Militia of the Luhansk Republic took control of the Uglegorsk thermal power plant in Svetlodarsk, the command of the 2nd corps of the LPR NM reported on July 26. Military experts note that the liberation of the area around Svitlodarsk opens the way to Artemovsk, a key point of Ukrainian defense in the Donbass. And on this day, a Joint Coordination Center (JCC) on the grain issue was launched in Istanbul. He is responsible for the inspection of vessels involved in the export of agricultural products from the Black Sea ports controlled by Kiev. Russian members of the SCC should prevent attempts to transport weapons and ammunition by sea to Ukraine.
Svitlodarskaya arc
In the area of the city of Svetlodarsk, the units of the People's Militia of the LPR took control of the Uglegorskaya TPP, a key industrial facility in the region. Now the territory of the power plant is being cleaned from the remnants of the armed formations of Ukraine, said the official representative of the defense Department of the LPR Ivan Filiponenko.
A powerful line of defense of the Ukrainian security forces, known as the Svitlodarsk Arc, ran through Svetlodarsk and nearby settlements, which the LPR troops could not break through in 2015.
A serviceman at the Uglegorsk thermal power plant
Image source: Photo: TASS/Alexander River
The area of Svetlodarsk and Uglegorskaya TPP is an important part of the defense built around Artemovsk (aka Bakhmut), military expert Alexey Leonkov told Izvestia.
— Now the fate of Artemovsk is being decided here in this area, — Alexey Leonkov believes. — At the same time, it should be taken into account that Artemovsk itself is the key to the Kramatorsk-Slavic grouping and the grouping that is located in Avdiivka and Pokrovsk. The capture of this city will allow us to proceed to the final liberation of the territory of the DPR: moving to the northwest, we can reach Kramatorsk. A strike to the south from Artemovsk threatens the grouping near Avdiivka.
The enemy is holding on to this area despite the losses, "throwing all new units of the territorial defense as cannon fodder," Alexey Leonkov noted.
— We have to minimize our losses during the offensive and save the lives of civilians, — he said. — There is no quick breakthrough here yet, but there is steady progress every day.
Control work
In accordance with the provisions of the "Mutual Understanding Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain from the Ports of Ukraine", a Joint Coordination Center (JCC) began its work in Istanbul on July 26. An advanced group of Russian experts has already arrived in the city on July 26, it will interact in a quadrilateral format. The activity of representatives of the Russian Federation in the SCC is under special control in the Ministry of Defense of Russia. The Russian delegation was headed by Rear Admiral Eduard Luik.
The main task of the center is the prompt solution of all issues related to the transportation of grain from ports under the control of Ukraine.
The Initiative was signed on July 22 in Istanbul. It is based on the algorithm proposed by Russia, which provides for the creation of a maritime humanitarian corridor through which commercial vessels can safely proceed to the Black Sea ports controlled by Ukraine and back.
Representatives of the SCC will organize events for the inspection of vessels involved in the export of Ukrainian agricultural products. This is necessary to prevent the transportation of weapons and ammunition to Kiev, as well as to exclude any provocations.
Inspection of vessels will be carried out both at the exit and at the entrance to the Black Sea. Security in the territorial waters of Ukraine, including mine action, should be provided by Kiev.
Photo: REUTERS/Umit Bektas
Image source: iz.ru
The Joint Coordination Center is responsible for the transparency of grain transportation to ports controlled by Ukraine, according to former UN Deputy Secretary General Sergei Ordzhonikidze.
— Ukraine was initially against the SCC, or rather against the fact that Russian representatives were present in it, — he told Izvestia. — The appearance of our experts in the SCC excludes illegal transportation of weapons to Ukrainian ports under the guise of grain export. Initially, Ukrainians wanted either representatives of Turkey or the UN to control ship traffic. Surely there was a desire behind this to start transporting large shipments of Western European or American weapons across the Black Sea in some way. Sea transport is very convenient for this, as it allows you to transport large volumes of cargo, and it is easy to hide even oversized equipment in the holds of bulk carriers.
According to the expert, the Russian naval officers who have entered the SCC will certainly be able to quickly establish control of sea transportation at the proper level and will not allow the use of this route for the supply of foreign weapons to Ukraine.
Sergei Ordzhonikidze noted that responsible implementation of the agreements stipulated in the documents will contribute to ensuring world food security.
— Ukraine provides about 1% of grain in the world, — he reminded. — Of course, on a global scale, these are small numbers, but many countries in Asia and Africa were waiting for it, asked Russia to contribute to its fastest deliveries to the market.
Mercenaries in Konstantinovka
On July 26, the Russian armed Forces continued to strike at the military infrastructure of Ukraine.
"Over 40 foreign mercenaries, most of them Poles, were killed by a strike of high—precision air—based missiles at the temporary deployment point of the "Foreign Legion" units in the area of the settlement of Konstantinovka of the Donetsk People's Republic," said the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov.
As a result of strikes with high-precision weapons of the Russian Aerospace Forces, the artillery division of the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the VFU was eliminated, the losses of personnel and weapons of which exceeded 70%.
Planes and helicopters of the Russian Aerospace Forces attacked the combat positions of the battalion of the 72nd Mechanized Brigade of the VFU, destroying more than 70 nationalists and an ammunition depot.
Photo: TASS/Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
Image source: iz.ru
Operational-tactical, army aviation, missile troops and artillery hit eight control points, including units of the 14th Mechanized, 28th Mechanized and 79th airborne assault brigades, as well as the 61st Infantry Brigade. In addition, the launcher of the OSA-AKM anti-aircraft missile system, the US-made AN/TPQ-37 counter-battery radar station and eight warehouses of rocket and artillery weapons and ammunition were destroyed, the military department said.
During the counter-battery struggle, a battery of multiple launch rocket systems "Hurricane", an artillery battery of howitzers "Hyacinth-B", six platoons of multiple launch rocket systems "Grad", four artillery platoons of howitzers D-20, seven platoons of self-propelled artillery installations "Carnation", as well as nine platoons of guns D-30 on firing positions.
Russian air defenses shot down two unmanned aerial vehicles during the day.
"Since the beginning of the special military operation, 260 aircraft, 144 helicopters, 1,613 unmanned aerial vehicles, 358 anti—aircraft missile systems, 4162 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 763 multiple rocket launchers, 3201 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 4481 units of special military vehicles have been destroyed," Igor Konashenkov listed.
Human shield tactics
The armed formations of Ukraine continue to use the civilian infrastructure of the yet-to-be-liberated areas of the DPR for military purposes, Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev, head of the National Defense Management Center of the Russian Federation, said on July 26.
Territorial defense units are deployed in Druzhkovka on the territory of vocational Lyceum No. 36, checkpoints and firing points are deployed. The approaches to the educational institution are mined, but the local population is deliberately not notified about this.
Photo: REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
Image source: iz.ru
In Zalizny, a strong point is equipped in the House of Culture, weapons and ammunition depots are located. At the same time, the evacuation of the local population from nearby residential buildings was not carried out.
In Artemovsk, the military personnel of the VFU equipped firing positions and ammunition depots on the lower and upper floors of apartment buildings along Rozhdestvenskaya Street. Local residents are forbidden to leave their apartments, and all attempts by citizens to evacuate to safe areas are severely suppressed.
In Semenovka, the VFU equipped firing points in residential quarters, placed artillery and MLRS, from which the positions of the Russian Armed Forces and formations of the Donetsk People's Republic are systematically shelled. At the same time, residents are kept in their homes, actually hiding behind them as a "human shield".
— Nationalists, feeling their complete impunity, under the threat of using weapons, allegedly for the needs of territorial defense, seize valuable property and food from people. Citizens who offer any resistance are accused of pro—Russian views and are subjected to physical violence," Mikhail Mizintsev said.
Fire support
On July 26, the Ministry of Defense told about soldiers and officers who showed courage and dedication during a special military operation. So, the battalion of the guard of Major Vitaly Picture in one of the battles destroyed up to 30 Ukrainian radicals, captured two tanks and one infantry fighting vehicle.
A few days later, Vitaliy, ensuring the safety of the movement of the column, discovered a group of saboteurs planning an attack. Breaking out in front of the column on an IFV, Kartin suddenly attacked the enemy, causing fire on himself. The column overcame a dangerous area, and Vitaly destroyed part of the saboteurs and enemy equipment.
The howitzer artillery division, in which Private Ivan Agafonov serves, supported the offensive of Russian units.
Ivan was riding in a convoy when he discovered a group of Ukrainian saboteurs, which he immediately reported to the commander. It was decided to engage the enemy. During it, Agafonov personally destroyed three nationalists. The militants, having suffered losses, were forced to retreat.
Photo: IZVESTIA/Pavel Volkov
Image source: iz.ru
In addition, Ivan's calculation destroyed a battery of the Grad multiple launch rocket system, firing positions of D-30 howitzers, enemy mortars and up to 100 personnel.
— Thanks to the courage and heroism of Ivan Agafonov, the column of the howitzer artillery division arrived in a timely manner and without losses in a given area and, having deployed in firing positions, supported the offensive of Russian troops with accurate and massive artillery fire, — the Defense Ministry said.
Corporal Ivan Lomotkin is engaged in communication in the troops. During one of the battles, the radio station was damaged. Under continuous enemy fire, Ivan promptly restored the operation of the equipment, ensuring uninterrupted communication.
As a result of the courageous actions of Corporal Ivan Lomotkin, which involved a risk to life, Russian servicemen, with the support of a howitzer artillery division, continued to attack enemy positions, the military department noted.
Bogdan Stepovoy
Andrey Fedorov
