Timeline of the war in Donbas (2016)

This is a timeline of the war in Donbas for the year 2016.

January–March 13 January: The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 70 occasions during 13 January and at least on 10 occasions during the first hours of 14 January. The militias concentrated their activities around Donetsk city and Horlivka. Ukrainian positions were the target of small arms fire, heavy machine arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades at Pisky, Avdiivka, Opytne, Maryinka, Zaitseve, Novhorodske and Maiorsk. Zaitseve was also shelled with 82 mm mortars, and snipers harassed Ukrainian troops at Novhorodske and Maiorsk. In the morning, the rebels raked Ukrainian outposts at Pisky and Verhnetoretske, pounded Opytne with automatic grenade launchers, fired rocket-propelled grenades on Novhorodske and heavy machine guns on Zaitseve. 22 January: The Ukrainian military reported that their positions were fired at by pro-Russian forces on 69 occasions during 21 January. Rebel militants pounded the Ukrainian strongholds of Maryinka, Opytne and Krasnohorivka, in the surroundings of Donetsk city. Zaitseve, in the area between Horlivka and Svitlodarsk, was the target of heavy machine gun fire, while rocket-propelled grenades landed in Maiorsk. In the northern front, the separatists fired heavy machine guns at Troitske -on the border between Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts- and automatic grenade launchers at Zolote, east of Popasna. In the region of Mariupol, pro-Russian troops fired antitank missiles on Talakivka and 120 mm mortars on Starohnativka. 26 January: The Ukrainian military said that their positions were attacked by pro-Russian forces on 66 occasions. In the main incidents, pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles engaged Ukrainian positions at Novhorodske, supported by heavy machine guns and automatic grenade launchers. Marinka received fire from heavy machine guns, grenade launchers and anti-aircraft guns. Troitske and Zaitseve were hit by mortar fire. 28 January: The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 71 occasions on Ukrainian positions. In the region between Horlivka and Svitlodarsk, pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles attacked Ukrainian redoubts around Novhorodske and Maiorsk, supported by heavy machine gun fire, while 82 mm mortar volleys landed in Zaitseve. West of Donetsk city, Ukrainian redoubts at Krasnohorivka were harassed with small arms fire, machine gun fire, anti-aircraft cannons, 82 mm mortars and 120 mm mortars, the latter banned by the Minsk agreements. The rebels also fired heavy machine guns and grenade launchers at Opytne, Pisky and Butivka mining complex. Late in the evening, a Ukrainian Border Guard checkpoint was attacked by an armoured fighting vehicle supported by an automatic grenade launcher. In the northern front, pro-Russian forces launched antitank guided missiles on Sokolniki, in the area of Bakhmutka road. On the border between Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, Troitske was the target of heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. 4 February: The Ukrainian military reported that their positions were fired at by pro-Russian forces on 81 occasions, 12 of them using banned heavy weapons, in the worst spell of violence on the past six months. In the main incidents, BTR armoured personnel carrier attacked Ukrainian positions at Novhorodske, while 82 mm and 120 mm mortar barrages landed in Marinka, Pisky and Opytne. 5 February: The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 84 occasions, in what became the record for the year until then. In the main incidents, Talakivka, Hnutove, Avdiivka, Zaitseve, Maiorske and Butivka mining complex came under 82 mm and 120 mm mortar fire. Krasnohorivka received fire from small arms, grenade launchers and 82 mm mortars. 14 February: The Ukrainian military reported that their positions received fire from pro-Russian forces on 71 occasions. In the main incidents, pro-Russian infantry launched an assault on Ukrainian entrenchments at Hnutove supported by mortars and anti-aircraft artillery. Zaitseve and Krasnohorivka were hit by 120 mm mortar barrages. An anti-tank guided missile was launched at Luhanske. 15 February: The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 79 occasions on 15 February. On at least one occasion, the separatist targeted Ukrainian forces with self-propelled artillery. The self-propelled guns were fired on Ukrainian redoubts at Zaitseve, north of Horlivka. The same positions were shaken by 120 mm mortar volleys. Mortar rounds also landed in Maiorsk, while Novhorodske, to the west, was pounded with heavy machine gun fire and rocket-propelled grenades. In the outskirts of Donetsk city, mortar barrages landed on the Ukrainian strongholds of Krasnohorivka and Maryinka. Heavy machine guns and grenade launchers were fired at Opytne, Pisky, Avdiivka and Butivka mining complex. Mortar rounds also fell into Ukrainian positions at Kominternove, Hnutove and Shyrokyne, in the region of Mariupol. Heavy machine guns and antitank rockets were fired at Ukrainian troops near Hranitne. In the northern front, the militias attacked the Ukrainian garrisons at Trokhizbenka and Sokolniki, Luhansk Oblast. 28 February: The Ukrainian military reported in the morning that their positions were fired at by pro-Russian forces on 71 occasions over the past 24 hours. In the main incidents, Zaitseve became the target of 120 mm mortars and self-propelled artillery. A Ukrainian army truck hit a fougasse in the Donetsk region on 25 February. As a result, one serviceman was killed and another taken prisoner. 11 March: According to the information provided by the spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters in the morning pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 75 occasions on Ukrainian troops on 11 March – including on 59 occasions in Donetsk, on 15 occasions in Mariupol, and on 1 occasion in Luhansk Oblast. In the main incidents, fired mortars 12 times on the Ukrainian positions near the towns of Krasnohorivka and Avdiyivka, the villages of Opytne, Pisky, Zaitseve and Nevelske in the Donetsk sector, as well as the town of Maryinka and the village of Chermalyk in the Mariupol sector. A Ukrainian serviceman was killed in Avdiivka. Pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles engaged Ukrainian redoubts around Luhanske and Novhorodske, where a Ukrainian soldier was killed in action. 12 March: The Ukrainian military recorded 71 attacks on their troops over the past 24 hours – including 62 occasions in Donetsk, eight occasions in Mariupol, and one occasion in Luhansk Oblast. Pro-Russian tanks shelled Avdiivka, which was also the target of mortars and 122 mm guns. Nearby Krasnohorivka was also the target of 122 mm artillery rounds, while Luhanske, north of Horlivka, was attacked three times by armoured fighting vehicles. 28 March: According to the information provided by the spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 72 occasions on Ukrainian troops on 28 March, including more than 60 attacks around Donetsk city and Horlivka. In the main incidents, heavy shelling from 82 mm and 120 mm mortars was reported at Avdiivka, while Mayorsk was shelled with 152 mm self-propelled artillery. Ukrainian forces returned fire ten times. 29 March: The Ukrainian operational headquarters reported that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 72 occasions at Ukrainian positions over the past 24 hours, using banned weapons along the entire demarcation line. in the main incidents, Zaitseve came under fire from 152 mm self-propelled artillery. Avdiivka and Zaitseve were struck by 82 mm and 120 mm mortar barrages. Ukrainian troops returned fire on 20 occasions.

April–June 9 April: The Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 91 occasions on 9 March. West of Donetsk, Avdiivka was shelled from three different locations – Yakolivka, Mineralne and Yasinuvata – with 82 mm and 120 mm mortars. Pro-Russian tanks fired 125 mm rounds on Ukrainian redoubts at Luhanske, north of Horlivka. 11 April: The Ukrainian military reported that separatist forces had fired upon Ukrainian positions on 79 occasions during the past 24 hours. Ukrainian troops fired back on 9 instances. Avdiivka was the target of small arms and mortars 19 times. The rebels fired 82 mm and 120 mm mortars on Ukrainian positions at Luhanske, Maiorsk, and Zaitseve, around Horlivka, and Kamyanka, west of Donetsk. Small arms fire was reported at Nevelske, Maryinka and Opytne, around Donetsk city, Zaitseve, Hranitne, north of Mariupol, and Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhansk Oblast, in the northern part of the front. Pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles attacked Ukrainian redoubts at Luhanske, north of Horlivka, Novotroitske, in the region of Mariupol, and Butivka mining complex, in the outskirts of Donetsk city. 12 April: The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 87 occasions on 12 March. In the main incidents, pro-Russian forces fired mortars on Ukrainian positions 22 times, while armoured fighting vehicles launched 12 attacks on Ukrainian forces. Novgorodsky, Marinka, Talakovka, Shirokine, Pisky, Zaitseve, Opytne, Luhanske, Novhorodske, Mayorsk, Marinka and Novotroitske came under hostile fire. 13 April: The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 80 occasions on 13 April; the fire was returned on 12 occasions. Pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles attacked Ukrainian redoubts at Opytne, west of Donetsk airport, with the support of 152 mm self-propelled artillery and mortar barrages. The main target was once again the Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka. The rebels fired 82 mm and 120 mm mortars at Maiorsk and Zaitseve, in the outskirts of Horlivka, Pisky, southwest of Donetsk city, and Trokhizbenka, in the northern section of the demarcation line. Additional attacks took place in Maryinka, Butivka mining complex, Verkhnyotoretske, Luhanske, Svitlodarsk and Zolote. 16 May: The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had fired upon Ukrainian positions on 36 occasions over the past 24 hours. A rebel assault, preceded by rocket-propelled grenades, antiaircraft fire and 82 mm mortar volleys, was repelled near Opytne. Pro-Russian tanks shelled the Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka, supported by 120 mm mortar barrages and 122 mm artillery. 23 May: The Ukrainian military reported that pro-Russian troops had fired upon Ukrainian positions on 47 occasions on 23 May, and on nine occasions during the first six hours of 24 May. In the main incidents, Krasnohorivka came under the combined fire of 82 mm and 120 mm mortars. Avdiivka and Marinka were hit by 82 mm mortar volleys. At least seven Ukrainian servicemen were killed and at least nine others wounded in action in the Donbas region on 23 May, the heaviest daily toll over the past year. The casualties were the result of either heavy shelling or improvised explosive devices. Two Aidar volunteer battalion fighters were killed during a raid on rebel positions behind the demarcation line. 25 May: The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had fired upon Ukrainian positions on 33 occasions on 24 May and on 4 occasions during the first six hours of 25 May. Ukrainian troops claimed the destruction of a pro-Russian BMP-1 armoured fighting vehicle during a pro-Russian attempt to break through the demarcation line at Novotroitske, in an area between Donetsk city and Mariupol. Two anti-tank guided missiles were launched at Luhanske.