DPR forces stated their intention to "fight their way to the
Azov Sea" on 23 August. In line with this statement, an artillery barrage was launched at the coastal city of
Novoazovsk, in southern Donetsk Oblast. 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 (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". The Ukrainian military spokesman Andryi Lysenko claimed two Russian tanks destroyed and 10 members of "an intelligence-sabotage group" captured. Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov 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. According to the
Armed Forces of Ukraine, 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 on 27 August. Whilst the Ukrainian government said they were in "total control" of Novoazovsk, town mayor Oleg Sidorkin confirmed that the insurgents had captured it. According to the NSDC, Ukrainian troops withdrew from Novoazovsk to save lives, and were instead preparing defences in
Mariupol.
Russian involvement Ukraine and western governments say that Russian troops either facilitated or took part in the attack on Novoazovsk. Despite this, some locals said that there were "
little green men" 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. == See also ==