27 May 2014
The epicenter of the Ukrainian government’s anti-terrorist operation (ATO) shifted from the smaller Donetsk Oblast cities of Sloviansk to Kramatorsk to Donetsk city on May 26. The operation was laucnhed after terrorists occupied the Donetsk airport at 4:30 a.m., according to ATO spokesman Vladyslav Selezniov. The Ukrainian forces attacked the armed terrorists, most of whom were identified by Selezniov as foreigners, after their refusal to surrender. Attacked by infantry and aviation, they endured between 100 and 200 casualties, according to different sources. Both the ATO representative and internal affairs ministers reported no losses on the Ukrainian side.
After the airport was cleared, the ATO forces continued their attacks on terrorists closer to downtown Donetsk. As a result, among the leaders of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, attempted to flee. Fights in Donetsk are continuing today as well.
Besides Donetsk, active phases of the ATO were conducted in the oblast’s second-biggest city, Mariupol; as well as Sloviansk, which remains controlled by the terrorists.
Alexander Paraschiy: The Ukrainian army has demonstrated visible success in its attempts to clear the Donetsk region of terrorists, which will deter many aggressive-minded people in the region. According to estimates of ex-Internal Affairs Minister Yuriy Lutsenko, there are about 15,000 armed terrorists in the Donetsk oblast, so the interim success of ATO forces does not mean the Ukrainian government has regained control of the region. Amidst the fighting, business activity in the city of Donetsk has been completed paralyzed unfortunately.
Particularly revealing is that the representatives of Donetsk tycoon Rinat Akhmetov this time did not ask Kyiv to stop its military attacks against terrorists, as they had requested the last time pro-Ukrainian forces were in Mariupol and Donetsk. That’s a worrying sign that indicates Akhmetov has abandoned his hopes to regain control of these cities using peaceful methods. Therefore, a high risk exists of further escalation of armed battles in the largest cities of the Donetsk Oblast.