ATO Headquarters: Russian Military Possibly To Launch Offensive Operations December 19 After RF Defense Ministry Recalls Its Envoys From JCCC

The Antiterrorist Operation (ATO)'s Headquarters considers that the Russian militaries could start offensive operations on December 19 judging from the latest move of the Russian Ministry of Defense that recalled its representatives from the Joint Center for Coordination and Control of Ceasefire and Settlement of the Conflict in Donbas (JCCC).

The ATO press service has said this in a statement, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

In particular, the ATO Headquarters warned that the enemy could step up subversive activity targeting Ukrainian military-defense objects, objects of energy and transport infrastructures.

Also the ATO Headquarters expected the surge in the number of provocative fire on Ukrainian defense position and civil areas of the front-line zone.

In addition, to blame the Ukrainian side for breaking the Minsk Agreements, the separatist forces could open fratricide fire from tube and rocket artillery, tanks and other types of the military hardware banned by the ceasefire agreements.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the ATO Headquarters had expected a surge in militant provocations in Hladosovo and Travneve villages (Luhansk direction) due to a visit of representatives of the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to the area.