Offensive on Mariupol (September 2014)

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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:

Internal Affairs Ministry:

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

v t e Russo-Ukrainian War (outline)
Background Dissolution of the Soviet Union Russia–Ukraine relations Budapest Memorandum 2003 Tuzla Island conflict Orange Revolution 2007 Munich speech of Vladimir Putin Russia–Ukraine gas disputes Euromaidan Revolution of Dignity 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine Major topics 2018 Moscow–Constantinople schism Information war cyberwarfare ransomware cyberattacks Belarusian involvement International sanctions Media portrayal Foreign aid (military humanitarian) Crimean crisis (Timeline) Little green men Krymnash Crimean Parliament Belbek Airport Southern Naval Base 2014 Simferopol 2014 Russian protests War in Donbas (Timeline) Capture of Donetsk Sloviansk Kramatorsk Artemivsk Mariupol Sievierodonetsk Il-76 shootdown Zelenopillia rocket attack Karlivka 1st Donetsk Airport Luhansk Border Base Krasnyi Lyman Sector D clashes Raid of the 95th Brigade Shakhtarsk Raion Horlivka Yasynuvata Ilovaisk Novoazovsk 2nd Mariupol 2nd Donetsk Airport Debaltseve International recognition Post-Minsk II conflict 2015 Shyrokyne (2015) Marinka (2015) 2016 Svitlodarsk (2016) 2017 Avdiivka (2017) 2018 Kerch Strait incident (2018) 2019 2020 2021 2022 Attacks on civilians Sloviansk Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 Novosvitlivka Volnovakha Donetsk Mariupol Kramatorsk Stanytsia Luhanska Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present) (Timeline) Prelude to invasion (Reactions) Military engagements Northern Ukraine campaign Antonov Airport Kyiv Chernihiv Sumy Eastern Ukraine campaign Mariupol 1st Kharkiv Izium 2nd Kharkiv Donbas Sievierodonetsk Lysychansk Soledar Bakhmut Luhansk Oblast Marinka Avdiivka Pokrovsk Southern Ukraine campaign 1st Kherson Melitopol Mykolaiv Kherson counteroffensive 2nd Kherson 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive 2024 Kursk offensive Effects and aftermath Economic impact Peace negotiations Protests in occupied Ukraine War crimes Government and intergovernmental reactions Non-government reactions Protests Russian protests ICJ case Arrest warrants Related Ukrainian resistance Belarusian and Russian partisan movement Zagreb Tu-141 crash Russian mystery fires Nord Stream pipeline sabotage Soloti training ground shooting Brovary helicopter crash Black Sea drone incident Belgorod accidental bombing Bryansk Oblast military aircraft crashes Wagner Group rebellion Wagner Group plane crash Ukrainian coup attempt

Russo-Ukrainian War (outline)

Background

Major topics

Crimean crisis
(Timeline)

Little green men
Krymnash

War in Donbas
(Timeline)

Post-Minsk II conflict

Attacks on civilians

Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present) (Timeline)

Prelude to invasion (Reactions)

Military engagements

Effects and aftermath

Economic impact
Peace negotiations
Protests in occupied Ukraine
War crimes
Government and intergovernmental reactions
Non-government reactions
Protests
- Russian protests
ICJ case
Arrest warrants

Related

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.