Russian-backed attacks flare up in eastern Ukraine

Russian-backed forces shot at the residential areas of
the Ukrainian-controlled town by Maryinka in the Donetsk region using forbidden
armaments the morning of Aug. 13, as reported by the press center of the
Anti-Terrorist Operation. The identified arms were automatic grenade launchers
and mortar launchers. No one was injured.

The same morning, a Russian-backed fighter – reported
to be speaking in broken Russian with a Caucasus accent – threatened to shoot
four unarmed OSCE monitors in the separation zone of the Luhansk region. “You
are all spies,” he said, as reported by the OSCE. “You shouldn’t be walking
near our positions. You shouldn’t be here at all. Get out of here. I am
counting to three, and if you don’t leave, then I will shoot.” The OSCE
monitors fled under threat of fire.

The prior day, the OSCE released a report identifying
six anti-aircraft rocket launchers located on Aug. 10 in occupied Luhansk. Such
armaments violate the disarmament terms of the Minsk Accords. On Aug. 12, the
Defense Ministry announced one Ukrainian soldier casualty and nine injuries in
the prior 24 hours. Meanwhile, Donetsk regional police reported on Aug. 13 on
having arrested a pro-Russian informant in the port city of Mariupol.

Zenon Zawada: Warfare in the Donbas region has been at a low level since January.
These incidents aren’t related to each other in a way that would indicate
another escalation is on the horizon. However, we can’t rule out the
possibility that the Russian-backed forces will attempt another major assault,
whether this year or early next year.