page_title: Battle of Ilovaisk
section_title: Ukrainian forces enter Ilovaisk
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Ilovaisk / Events / Ukrainian forces enter Ilovaisk
caption_attribution_description: English: DPR "Motorola's Division" infantry and BTR-80 assaulting Ukrainian Azov and Donbas Battalion positions in Ilovaisk. On the right side is the field commander, Arseny Pavlov.
context_page_description: The Battle of Ilovaisk started on 7 August 2014, when the Armed Forces of Ukraine and pro-Ukrainian paramilitaries began a series of attempts to capture the city of Ilovaisk from pro-Russian insurgents affiliated with the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic and detachments of the Russian Armed Forces. Although Ukrainian forces were able to enter the city on 18 August, they were encircled between 24–26 August by overwhelming Russian military forces that crossed the border, joining the battle. After days of encirclement, government forces made an agreement with the insurgents to allow them to retreat from the city. This agreement was not honoured, and many soldiers died whilst trying to escape.
  The Chief of the General Staff and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Viktor Muzhenko, stated on 26 August 2016 that the cause of the battle's outcome was the involvement of Russian troops, along with Ukrainian commanders' incompetence in the planning of the retreat.
context_section_description: Ukrainian forces attempted to enter Ilovaisk during the day on 18 August but failed. Led by the Donbas Battalion, government forces launched another attempt to storm the city on the night of 18–19 August. This attempt was successful, and they raised the Ukrainian flag over the city administration building without any casualties. Ukrainian media viewed this victory as an example of the strength and effectiveness of the government's "Anti-Terrorist Operation" (ATO) against the insurgents. As government forces entered the city, Donbas Battalion commander Semen Semenchenko was wounded after being struck by mortar fire and was evacuated for medical treatment. Following the flag-raising, the Internal Affairs ministry said that Ukrainian military, including the Donbas, Dnipro and Azov, were clearing the city of "terrorists", specifically mentioning that they killed "a great number" of insurgents from the Oplot Battalion of the Donbass People's Militia. They also said that reinforcements from the National Guard of Ukraine were forthcoming. After a day of fighting, roughly fifty percent of Ilovaisk was under government control. Government forces also captured six insurgents, including one Serbian volunteer. Azov and Shakhtarsk battalions left the battle of Ilovaisk that day, heading to reinforce garrisons of Mariupol and Komsomolske cities accordingly.
  On the following day, 20 August, Ukrainian forces claimed they had taken complete control of Ilovaisk. Said statement was denied by DPR officials, who declared that they remained in control. Over the course of the day, government forces fought off numerous insurgent counter-attacks. Street battles took place across the city, and at least nine Ukrainian soldiers were killed in the fighting. Following this, the Donbas Battalion requested reinforcements. By 21 August, amidst the heavy and constant fighting, the Internal Affairs ministry stated that twenty-five percent of those from volunteer paramilitary battalions killed since the ATO began were killed in Ilovaisk. No reinforcements for government forces arrived. According to commander Semenchenko, some members of the Donbas Battalion were killed when insurgents flying the Ukrainian flag attacked an ambulance. Semenchenko described this act as "medieval savagery". He also said that the Donbas Battalion had been "abandoned" by both the Ukrainian government and the other volunteer paramilitary battalions, both of which largely withdrew from the city.
caption: DPR fighters and BTR-80 assault the Azov and Dnipro Battalions
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