Defense Ministry: Russia-backed militants intensify armed provocations

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Ukrainian Armed Forces incurred no fatal casualties yesterday, one soldier was wounded in militants’ shooting attack in the vicinity of Maryinka. 

In the Donetsk sector, 33 ceasefire violations were recorded, 17 of which involved the use of heavy armaments. “Only in Avdiivka and the vicinities Russian occupational troops fired over 30 tank projectiles, around 60 mortar shells, and were widely using small arms and grenade launchers yesterday,” reported the spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on ATO related issues Colonel Andriy Lysenko during a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. Militants conducted three mortar attacks near the Donetsk airport, and shelled Ukrainian positions at the Svitlodarsk area.”Russia-backed militants attacked Zaitseve with artillery and mortars after 23:00, firing around 10 mortar shells and 20 artillery projectiles, directly hitting a private house, damaging windows, fence and almost totally ruining a household building,” said Col. Lysenko.

In the Luhansk sector militants conducted 16 ceasefire violations. In Popasna district they were provoking Ukrainian troops to fire in response from morning till late night. Russian proxies also violated the ceasefire in the vicinity of the Bakhmut road, shelling Ukrainian positions near Zolote with mortars after the sunset. “The enemy continued using heavy weapons in Krymske, firing about 25 mortar shells yesterday. Near Stanytsia Luhanska, militants conducted three armed provocations, 20-120 minutes long each,” said Col. Lysenko.

The south of Mariupol sector, namely Pavlopil – Shyrokyne frontline area, was much calmer than the day before yesterday: enemy conducted only brief armed provocations in Vodiane, where the most intense hostilities since the beginning of the year took place two days ago. “On the opposite, occupants continued using heavy weapons in Maryinka district, firing about 70 mortar shells and three tank projectiles there, and near Dokuchaevsk, attacking Novotroitske with 10 artillery rounds,” informed the spokesman. In total, Russian proxies conducted 27 hostile attacks in the Mariupol sector yesterday.

Report on the military developments as of March 21 is available here. Interactive data on the shelling: chronology shelling chart and the interactive map.