Wikipedia

Zelenopillia rocket attack

The Zelenopillia rocket attack took place on 11 July 2014 during the war in Donbas. The rocket barrage, which was launched from inside Russian territory by Russian[10][1] forces, killed 37 Ukrainian soldiers and border guards in a camp at Zelenopillia, Sverdlovsk Raion, Luhansk Oblast.[8]

Zelenopillia rocket attack
Part of the war in Donbas
Date11 July 2014
Location
Zelenopillia, Sverdlovsk Raion, Luhansk Oblast, Eastern Ukraine
Result Russian victory
Belligerents
 Ukraine  Russia[1]
Commanders and leaders
Ukraine Col. Ihor Momot †[2]
(Head of State Border Service)		 Unknown
Units involved

 Ukrainian Ground Forces:

Airmobile Forces:

State Border Guard Service of Ukraine		  Russian Ground Forces[6]
Strength
1 armoured group[7] 122-mm 9K51M "Tornado-G" batteries
2 Orlan-10 drones[7]
Casualties and losses
37 killed[8]
100+ injured[9]
2 battalions worth of vehicles and tanks lost[7]		 1 Orlan-10 drone shot down[7]

Attack

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In the early morning of 11 July 2014, Russian forces fired a barrage of 9K51M "Tornado-G"[11][12][13][9] rockets in 40 salvos beginning at 4:40 a.m. They targeted an armoured convoy of the Ukrainian Ground Forces from a distance of 15 kilometres (9.3 mi). The Ukrainian column was camped in a field near the village of Zelenopillia, situated along the main highway to Luhansk in Sverdlovsk Raion near Rovenky.[14] The town is located only 9 km (5.6 mi) from the Russia–Ukraine border. The Ukrainian armoured brigades were a part of a larger contingent of troops guarding the border against the illegal movement of military equipment from Russia into Eastern Ukraine.[13][15]

At least 19 soldiers were killed and 93 others were injured in the rocket strike.[3][16][17] Four Ural-4320 transport trucks full of troops were struck. According to one Ukrainian soldier's account, the 1st Battalion of Mykolaiv's 79th Airmobile Brigade was "almost completely destroyed" during the rocket onslaught.[5] Chief physician of a regional hospital, Serhiy Ryzhenko, reported the wounded to be in grave condition, with some undergoing traumatic leg amputations and loss of limbs.[18]

According to an investigation a year later, 30 Ukrainian soldiers and 7 border guards were killed and over 100 soldiers were wounded during that strike.[9][11] Ukrainian border guards Colonel Ihor Momot was among the fallen.[2] Materiel losses were equivalent to two battalions worth of equipment.[7]

Reactions

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In response to the rocket strike, Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko held an emergency cabinet meeting and issued a statement condemning the attack and vowing to "find and destroy" the pro-Russian rebels accountable. He also said for every Ukrainian serviceman's life the militants will pay with "tens and hundreds of their own".[3]

The United States Department of the Treasury instituted a new set of sanctions on Russia after reliable evidence emerged that the rockets were fired from within Russian territory. Videos by a resident of the rocket launchers firing at Ukrainian positions matched the very same Google Maps view of the same physical features inside Russian territory bordering Ukraine.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Scales, Robert H. (5 August 2016). "Opinion | Russia's superior new weapons". The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  2. ^ a b "The heroes we will never forget". The Day. No. 47. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Zinets, Natalia; Tsvetkova, Maria (11 July 2014). "Ukraine says rebels will pay as missiles kill 23 soldiers". Reuters. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  4. ^ Під Зеленопіллям триває бій, військові потребують термінової допомоги [The battle continues near Zelenopillia, the military needs urgent help]. unian.ua (in Ukrainian). Ukrainian Independent Information Agency. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
  5. ^ a b c "Year ago: ATO troops near Zelenopillya burnt to the ground by Russian Grads". unian.info. Ukrainian Independent Information Agency. 11 July 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  6. ^ Galeotti, Mark (2017). The Modern Russian Army 1992–2016. Elite. Vol. 217. Illustrated by Johnny Shumate. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 61. ISBN 978-1-4728-1909-3.
  7. ^ a b c d e Axe, David (5 August 2020). "The Ukrainian Army Learned The Hard Way—Don't Idle Your Tanks When The Russians Are Nearby". Forbes. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Up to 30 Ukraine Soldiers, Border Guards Die in Attack: Official". NBC News. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  9. ^ a b c "Ukrainian Troops Were Likely Shelled from Russian MRLS Tornado in Zelenopillia". Censor.NET. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  10. ^ Butusov, Yurii (12 July 2015). 11 июля 2014 года. Вооруженные силы Российской Федерации уничтожили лагерь украинских войск под Зеленопольем [11 July 2014. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation destroyed the camp of Ukrainian troops near Zelenopillia]. Censor.NET (in Russian). Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  11. ^ a b Солдати в Зеленопіллі загинули від новітнього російського "Торнадо-Г" - ЗМІ [Soldiers in Zelenopillia died from the latest Russian "Tornado-G" – the mass media]. unian.ua (in Ukrainian). Ukrainian Independent Information Agency. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  12. ^ Українських військових під Зеленопіллям обстріляли з новітньої російської зброї "Торнадо", - журналіст [Ukrainian soldiers near Zelenopillia were fired upon with the latest Russian weapon "Tornado", – journalist]. iPress.ua (in Ukrainian). 13 July 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  13. ^ a b Сили АТО під Зеленопіллям обстріляли з "Торнадо" - ЗМІ [Anti-Terrorist Operation forces near Zelenopillia were fired upon with "Tornado" – the mass media]. Ukrainska Pravda (in Ukrainian). 13 July 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
  14. ^ Babiak, Mat (11 July 2014). "Rocket strike kills dozens of Ukrainian soldiers near Russian border". Euromaidan Press. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Ukrainian Fighter Jets Pound Rebels After Deadly Missile Attack". Voice of America. Reuters. 12 July 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  16. ^ "Ukraine conflict: Many soldiers dead in 'rocket strike'". BBC News. 11 July 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  17. ^ Williams, Carol J.; Loiko, Sergei L. (11 July 2014). "In eastern Ukraine, separatist rocket attacks, bus ambush kill 30". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  18. ^ Bazov, Gleb (17 July 2014). "Ukrainian Soldiers – Abandoned in Zelenopillia, Corpses All Around Them". SLAVYANGRAD.org. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  19. ^ Weiss, Michael; Miller, James (17 July 2014). "Russia Is Firing Missiles at Ukraine". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 12 February 2016.

Further reading

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