Donetsk People's Republic
The Donetsk People's Republic ( rus, Донецкая Народная Республика, Donetskaya Narodnaya Respublika, dɐˈnʲetskəjə nɐˈrodnəjə rʲɪˈspublʲɪkə; abbreviated as DPR or DNR, rus, ДНР) is a disputed en ...
(DPR), backed by Russian troops, opened a new front in the
war in Donbas
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
on 25 August 2014, when they attacked the Ukrainian government-controlled city of
Novoazovsk
Novoazovsk (, ; rus, Новоазовск}) is a border town on the south-eastern tip of Ukraine (near the border with Russia),Donetsk
Donetsk ( , ; uk, Донецьк, translit=Donets'k ; russian: Донецк ), formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka (or Hughesovka), Stalin and Stalino (see also: cities' alternative names), is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine loc ...
. Government forces were forced to retreat from Novoazovsk to the city of
Mariupol
Mariupol (, ; uk, Маріу́поль ; russian: Мариу́поль) is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is situated on the northern coast ( Pryazovia) of the Sea of Azov, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Prior to the 2022 Russia ...
, leaving DPR forces in control.
Events
DPR forces stated their intention to "fight their way to the
Azov Sea
The Sea of Azov ( Crimean Tatar: ''Azaq deñizi''; russian: Азовское море, Azovskoye more; uk, Азовське море, Azovs'ke more) is a sea in Eastern Europe connected to the Black Sea by the narrow (about ) Strait of Kerch ...
" on 23 August. In line with this statement, an artillery barrage was launched at the coastal city of
Novoazovsk
Novoazovsk (, ; rus, Новоазовск}) is a border town on the south-eastern tip of Ukraine (near the border with Russia),Novoazovsk
Novoazovsk (, ; rus, Новоазовск}) is a border town on the south-eastern tip of Ukraine (near the border with Russia), There had been no insurgent formations within of this area for many weeks. Heavy fighting took place in the village of Markyne, from Novoazovsk. Insurgents used the village to shell Novoazovsk. A spokesman for the
National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC; uk, Рада національної безпеки і оборони України, RNBO or RNBOU) is the coordinating state body of the executive power under the President of Ukrai ...
(NSDC) said that the entrance of the column into Ukraine was an attempt "by the Russian military in the guise of Donbas fighters to open a new area of military confrontation". According to the Mariupol city website, the
Dnipro
Dnipro, previously called Dnipropetrovsk from 1926 until May 2016, is Ukraine's fourth-largest city, with about one million inhabitants. It is located in the eastern part of Ukraine, southeast of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on the Dnieper Rive ...
and
Donbas
The Donbas or Donbass (, ; uk, Донба́с ; russian: Донба́сс ) is a historical, cultural, and economic region in eastern Ukraine. Parts of the Donbas are controlled by Russian separatist groups as a result of the Russo-Ukrai ...
battalions repelled the attack, and the "invaders" retreated to the border. The Ukrainian military spokesman Andryi Lysenko claimed two Russian tanks destroyed and 10 members of "an intelligence-sabotage group" captured. Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov
Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov (russian: Сергей Викторович Лавров, ; born 21 March 1950) is a Russian diplomat and politician who has served as the Foreign Minister of Russia since 2004.
Lavrov served as the Permanent Repres ...
said he had no knowledge of the incident, and suggested that reports of the incident being an incursion by Russian forces were "disinformation." Directly prior to the appearance of the column, the area was heavily shelled. The nearest insurgent artillery positions were well beyond the range of this area.
DPR insurgents, with Russian support, shelled Novoazovsk from across the Russian border on 26 August. Ukrainian border guards stationed at the Novoazovsk–Veselo–Voznesenka border-crossing showed craters that they said were caused by shelling from Russian territory. Russia denied any involvement, and said that DPR forces had been acting on their own. According to the
Armed Forces of Ukraine
, imports =
, exports =
, history =
, ranks = Military ranks of Ukraine
, country=Ukraine
The Armed Forces of Ukraine ( uk, Збро́йні си́ли Украї́ни), most commonly know ...
, this shelling was an attempt to take-out Ukrainian artillery positions in the area. As the shelling occurred, smoke could be seen rising over the city, whilst many residents fled in cars and lorries. Four civilians were wounded in the shelling.
Insurgents pushed into
Novoazovsk
Novoazovsk (, ; rus, Новоазовск}) is a border town on the south-eastern tip of Ukraine (near the border with Russia), Whilst the Ukrainian government said they were in "total control" of Novoazovsk, town mayor Oleg Sidorkin confirmed that the insurgents had captured it. He also said that "dozens" of tanks and armoured vehicles had been used by the insurgents in their assault on the town. At least four civilians were injured by insurgent shelling. To the north, close to
Starobesheve
Starobesheve ( uk, Старобешеве, russian: Старобешево) is an urban-type settlement in the Kalmiuske Raion of Donetsk Oblast in Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Starobesheve Raion. Starobesheve is located on the rig ...
, Ukrainian forces said that they spotted a column of 100 armoured vehicles, tanks, and Grad rocket lorries that was heading south, toward Novoazovsk. They said these vehicles were marked with "white circles or triangles", similar to white armbands seen on Russian paratroopers that were captured by government forces in Ukrainian territory a few days earlier. Amidst pressure on this new third front, government forces retreated westward toward
Mariupol
Mariupol (, ; uk, Маріу́поль ; russian: Мариу́поль) is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is situated on the northern coast ( Pryazovia) of the Sea of Azov, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Prior to the 2022 Russia ...
. A statement by the NSDC later said that Novoazovsk had been captured by "Russian troops", despite earlier denials by the Ukrainian government. According to the NSDC, Ukrainian troops withdrew from Novoazovsk to save lives, and were instead preparing defences in
Mariupol
Mariupol (, ; uk, Маріу́поль ; russian: Мариу́поль) is a city in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is situated on the northern coast ( Pryazovia) of the Sea of Azov, at the mouth of the Kalmius River. Prior to the 2022 Russia ...
.
Russian involvement
Ukraine and western governments say that Russian troops either facilitated or took part in the attack on Novoazovsk. By the time that the city fell to the attackers,
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...
said that there were at least 1,000 Russian soldiers operating on Ukrainian soil. One DPR commander said that his own forces took over Novoazovsk, and that he had support from "Russian volunteers". By 1 September, Russian troops seemed to have vanished from the town, which was then being guarded by DPR insurgents. Despite this, some locals said that there were "
little green men
Little green men is the stereotypical portrayal of extraterrestrials as little humanoid creatures with green skin and sometimes with antennae on their heads. The term is also sometimes used to describe gremlins, mythical creatures known for cau ...
" outside the town, referencing a term used during the events that led to the annexation of Crimea by Russia to refer to the unmarked Russian forces that took over the peninsula in February 2014. As the battle was ongoing in Novoazovsk, the NSDC released a video showing a
T-72
The T-72 is a family of Soviet/Russian main battle tanks that entered production in 1969. The T-72 was a development of the T-64, which was troubled by high costs and its reliance on immature developmental technology. About 25,000 T-72 tanks h ...
tank in Novoazovsk. The government of Ukraine said that this was proof of the presence of Russian troops on Ukrainian soil.