Joint Forces Operation (Ukraine) Explained

Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone (Ukrainian: Зона проведення антитерористичної операції|translit=Zona provedennya antyterorystychnoyi operatsiyi), or ATO zone[1] (Ukrainian: Зона АТО|translit=Zona ATO), was a term used by the media, publicity, the government of Ukraine, and the OSCE[2] and other foreign institutions[3] to identify Ukrainian territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions (oblasts)[4] under the control of Russian military forces[5] and pro-Russian separatists. A significant part of ATO zone is considered temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine.[6]

History

On 20 February 2018, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko changed the status of the ATO zone from an anti-terrorist operation to "taking measures to ensure national security and defense, and repulsing and deterring the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts".[7]

This allows the Ukrainian military to take charge of the zones instead of the Ukrainian secret service SBU. As such, the ATO was renamed to JFO zone (Joint Forces Operation (Ukrainian: Операція об'єднаних сил, ООС|translit=Operatsiya ob'yednanykh syl).[8]

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, out-of-service ATO veterans have repeatedly been the target of Russian forces, for example of the Redut PMC.[9] According to captured fighters, with this they wanted to decrease the risk of them joining the defence of Ukraine. For this purpose, veterans were interrogated and tortured in order to find more, after which many were killed. Two Redut PMC fighters got convicted for committing such war crimes.[10]

Military administrative division

The official borders of the ATO zone were defined with a list of localities and their geographical coordinates, approved in November 2014 by Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.[11]

The zone is conditionally divided into five sectors A, B, C, D, and M.[12] [13]

Influence in culture and society

Since 28 December 2015, the song "Brattia Ukraintsi" (Brothers Ukrainians) is the official anthem of ATO.[14]

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Tomkiw, L. Ukraine War Forces A Nation To Talk About A Taboo: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder . International Business Times. 4 April 2015
  2. Web site: 10 November 2015 . OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities assesses inter-ethnic situation in south-eastern Ukraine . osce.org.
  3. http://ukraine.usembassy.gov/statements/ambpyatt-baer-donetskregion-07302015.html U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt and U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE Daniel Baer Travel to Donetsk Oblast
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20151009181144/http://www.sbu.gov.ua/sbu/control/uk/publish/article?art_id=136476&cat_id=135945 Updated provisional order to enter and leave the uncontrolled territory for citizens of Ukraine and foreigners (individuals without citizenship) as of 28 September 2015 (Оновлений тимчасовий порядок в'їзду на неконтрольовану територію та виїзду з неї громадян України та іноземців (осіб без громадянства) станом на 28.09.2015 року)
  5. News: Anxious Ukraine Risks Escalation In 'Creeping Offensive'. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 30 January 2017 . 2017-11-16. 2022-02-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20220222030958/https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-creeping-offensive-escalation-fighting/28268104.html. live . Miller . Christopher .
  6. http://news.liga.net/news/politics/6394338-zona_ato_den_nachalsya_s_obstrelov_gradami_bliz_donetska.htm ATO zone: Day started with Grads shooting near Donetsk (Зона АТО: день начался с обстрелов Градами близ Донецка)
  7. Web site: Goodbye, ATO: Ukraine officially changes name of Donbas war - KyivPost - Ukraine's Global Voice. February 20, 2018. KyivPost. September 4, 2018. November 9, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201109015357/https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/goodbye-ato-hello-taking-measures-ensure-national-security-defense-repulsing-deterring-armed-aggression-russian-federation-donetsk-luhansk-oblasts.html. live.
  8. Web site: 4 May 2018 . Old war, new rules: what comes next as ATO ends and a new operation starts in Donbas? . 14 April 2022 . Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
  9. Web site: 24 December 2022 . «Трошки пресували, звичайно». Чотирьох військовослужбовців РФ засудили за катування колишніх учасників АТО . https://archive.today/20230611235809/https://sudreporter.org/troshky-presuvaly-zvychajno-chotyroh-vijskovosluzhbovcziv-rf-zasudyly-za-katuvannya-kolyshnih-uchasnykiv-ato/ . 11 June 2023 . 11 June 2023 . Судовий Репортер . uk.
  10. Web site: Long sentences passed on 'Redut' mercenaries fighting Russia's war against Ukraine with Finnish citizen's funding . https://archive.today/20230503191107/https://khpg.org/en/1608811793 . 3 May 2023 . 3 May 2023 . Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group.
  11. Web site: uk:Про затвердження переліку населених пунктів, на території яких органи державної влади тимчасово не здійснюють свої повноваження, та переліку населених пунктів, що розташовані на лінії зіткнення . https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/go/1085-2014-%D1%80 . uk:Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України.
  12. http://www.depo.ua/static/files/gallery_uploads/images/%D0%9C%D1%96%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%8C%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8.jpg Map of the sectors
  13. https://napalm.natocdn.work/2015/01/karta-polnayacc.jpg Map of the sectors
  14. http://life.pravda.com.ua/society/2016/01/1/205675/ A song of "Shablya" band officially became the ATO anthem. Video

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