Offensive on Mariupol (September 2014)In late August and early September 2014, Russian-backed separatists supporting the Donetsk People's Republic advanced on the government-controlled port city of Mariupol in southern Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine which it had controlled between May and June. This followed a wide offensive by DPR/Novorossiya forces, which led to their capture of Novoazovsk to the east. Fighting reached the outskirts of Mariupol on 6 September.
DPR advanceThe offensive against Mariupol began on 28 August 2014, when separatist forces captured the town of Novoazovsk. 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 separatists, 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.[citation needed] 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 ammo 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 outskirtsOn 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 separtists violate the ceasefire. He also promised a "crushing defeat" on the separatists if they advanced on the city.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offensive_on_Mariupol_(September_2014)
So it was Russian-supported insurgents that attacked Mariupol - not the Ukrainian Army. Go figure.
This illustrates the pitfall of making up bullshit accusations without offering a shred of supporting evidence to cite.
