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Offensive on Mariupol
Part of the war in Donbass
Ukrainian troops on patrol in Mariupol, 5 September 2014.
Date 4–8 September 2014 (4 days) Location Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine Result Offensive halted
Belligerents
Ukraine	Donetsk People's Republic
Commanders and leaders
Petro Poroshenko Andriy Biletsky	Alexander Zakharchenko
Units involved
Armed Forces of Ukraine: Ground Forces Ukrainian Sea Guard Internal Affairs Ministry: Donbas Battalion Azov Battalion	Donbass People's Militia
Strength
7 tanks 12+ APCs 10+ trucks 500 infantry	30+ tanks
Casualties and losses
3 tanks destroyed 1 truck destroyed 1 tank abandoned	2 tanks destroyed 2 trucks destroyed or abandoned
8 Russian civilians killed

In late August and early September 2014, Russian and Russian-backed separatist troops supporting the Donetsk People's Republic advanced on the government-controlled port city of Mariupol in southern Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. This followed a wide offensive by Russian-allied forces, which led to their capture of Novoazovsk to the east. Fighting reached the outskirts of Mariupol on 6 September.

Events

Russian/DPR advance

A column of Russian tanks and military vehicles was reported to have crossed into Ukraine on 25 August near Novoazovsk located on the Azov sea, heading towards Ukrainian-held Mariupol, in an area that had not seen pro-Russian presence for weeks. The Bellingcat investigation revealed some details of this operation. Some of the tanks were bearing the distinct Russian railway transport marks. Russian forces captured the city of Novoazovsk. and Russian soldiers began arresting and deporting to unknown locations all Ukrainians who did not have an address registered within the town. Pro-Ukrainian anti-war protests took place in Mariupol which was threatened by Russian troops. The UN Security Council called an emergency meeting to discuss the situation. The Ukrainian soldiers that left Novoazovsk retreated to Mariupol. Many citizens left Mariupol due to fear of an attack.

On 4 September, Ukrainian forces engaged the enemy troops, who came from the village of Bezimenne, between the villages of Shirokino and Berdyanske. One separatist tank and a truck were destroyed, while another separatist truck was left abandoned.

On 5 September, fighting primarily raged in the village of Shirokino, while clashes once again took place at Bezimenne. The clashes over the previous two days had left seven civilians dead. Also, the Azov battalion started to train Mariupol citizens in self-defense and organize popular militias to defend the city. About a dozen of Ukrainian army APCs arrived with men and ammunition to help the defense battalions to defend the city. More heavy fighting was reported in Mariupol despite the ceasefire agreement. Ukrainian forces shelled DPR positions near Mariupol, and claimed to have repelled an attack. separatist forces claimed they entered Mariupol, which Ukraine denied.

Fighting in the outskirts

On 5 September, seven Ukrainian Army T-64 tanks reputedly faced in battle 30 tanks, allegedly Russian T-80s. The Ukrainians repelled the attack but lost four tanks and retreated with the three remaining to the Army checkpoint on the outskirts of Mariupol. The commander of the Ukrainian tank brigade was in a state of post-shock but the three surviving tanks were reloaded with ammunition so they could return to the battlefield.

On 7 September, DPR artillery fire destroyed a Ukrainian military truck at a checkpoint on the outskirts of the town. A civilian was also killed in the shelling. The Azov Battalion also captured a tank near Mariupol, while the crew escaped. The same day, it was confirmed DPR forces had captured Shirokino.

On 8 September, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko visited Mariupol, telling steelworkers that Ukrainian forces had secured the city with tanks, howitzers, anti-tank guns and other weapons should the separatists violate the ceasefire. He also promised a "crushing defeat" on the separatists if they advanced on the city.

Aftermath

On October 23, 2014, prime minister of the DPR Alexander Zakharchenko vowed to retake the cities it had lost, stating "Periods of intense hostilities will follow. We will retake Slaviansk, Kramatorsk and Mariupol. Unfortunately, it was impossible to make peaceful settlement the focus of negotiations. We are the only ones who comply with the regime of silence."

On October 29, 2014, Mariupol city authorities said that Ukrainian positions in the village of Talakivka came under Grad and rocket fire from DPR forces.

See also

• Outline of the Russo-Ukrainian War
• Battle of Mariupol (May–June 2014)

References

1. "Ceasefire Ends as Pro-Russia Forces Shell Ukrainian Tanks: Russian Roulette (Dispatch 77)". YouTube. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
2. "Ukraine ceasefire breached in Donetsk and Mariupol". the Guardian. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
3. ^ "ЭКСКЛЮЗИВ! 2 часа назад: Трасса Донецк-Мариуполь горит военная техника! Донецк, Луганск". YouTube. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
4. ^ "The ATO Forces captured a Russian tank near Mariupol". Information Resistance. 7 September 2014. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014.
5. Jim Heintz (25 August 2014). "Ukraine: Russian Tank Column Enters Southeast". Abcnews. Archived from the original on 25 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
6. "Ukraine crisis: 'Column from Russia' crosses border". BBC News. 25 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
7. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson (26 August 2014). "Russian Separatists Open New Front in Southern Ukraine". National Public Radio (NPR). Archived from the original on 27 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
8. Kramer, Andrew. "Ukraine Says Russian Forces Lead Major New Offensive in East". CNBC. Archived from the original on 28 August 2014. Tanks, artillery and infantry have crossed from Russia into an unbreached part of eastern Ukraine in recent days, attacking Ukrainian forces and causing panic and wholesale retreat not only in this small border town but a wide swath of territory, in what Ukrainian and Western military officials are calling a stealth invasion.
9. Tsevtkova, Maria (26 August 2014). "'Men in green' raise suspicions of east Ukrainian villagers". Reuters. Unidentified, heavily-armed strangers with Russian accents have appeared in an eastern Ukrainian village, arousing residents' suspicions despite Moscow's denials that its troops have deliberately infiltrated the frontier.
10. Lowe, Christian; Tsvetkova, Maria; Zverev, Anton; Zinets, Natalia; Balmforth, Richard; Prentice, Alessandra; Ustinova, Tatiana; Devitt, Polina; Apps, Peter (26 August 2014). Elgood, Giles (ed.). "Exclusive – In Ukraine, an armoured column appears out of nowhere". Reuters. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
11. Sean Case; Klement Anders; Aric Toler; Eliot Higgins. "The Burning Road to Mariupol" (PDF). Bellingcat. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
12. Gowen, Annie; Gearan, Anne (28 August 2014). "Russian armored columns said to capture key Ukrainian towns". The Washington Post. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
13. ^ "NATO: 1000 rosyjskich żołnierzy działa na Ukrainie. A Rosja znów: Nie przekraczaliśmy granicy [NA ŻYWO]". gazeta.pl (in Polish). 28 August 2014. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
14. "BBC:Ukraine crisis: 'Thousands of Russians' fighting in east, August 28". BBC News. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
15. "U.S. says Russia has 'outright lied' about Ukraine". USA Today. 28 August 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
16. "Militia starts reconnaissance in force near Mariupol". Russia Beyond the Headlines. 4 September 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
17. Adam Button (4 Sep 2014). "Explosions heard, black plumes of smoke seen just east of Mariupol Port in Ukraine – RTRS witness". news.forexlive.com. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
18. "Azov Battalion trains Mariupol residents in self-defense tactics". KyivPost. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
19. "Ukraine fighting subsides after ceasefire agreement". The Irish Times. Reuters. 5 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
20. Оleh Мysko (6 September 2014). Сім українських танків дали героїчний бій 30-ти російським Т-80 під Маріуполем [Seven Ukrainian tanks battled heroically against 30 Russian T-80 tanks near Mariupol] (in Ukrainian). uapress.info. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
21. "Woman Killed in Mariupol as Shelling Frays Ukraine Cease-fire". NBC News.
22. Под Широкино концентрируются российские войска [Russian troops are concentrated at Shirokino]. podrobnosti.ua. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
23. Aleksandar Vasovic; Gabriela Baczynska (8 September 2014). "Ukraine president visits frontline city amid 'shaky' ceasefire". Reuters. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
24. "Ukraine rebels end ceasefire before polls". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
25. "Mariupol authorities report shelling of Ukrainian positions near town". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. Retrieved 25 October 2015.

• 2014 in Ukraine
• Battles of the war in Donbas
• History of Mariupol
• Battles involving the Donetsk People's Republic
• Battles in 2014
• Tank battles involving Ukraine
• September 2014 events in Ukraine