Defense Ministry: Militants launch 55 mortar shells at Ukrainian positions in the Donetsk sector 

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Militants are actively using snipers, mortars and armor in the Mariupol sector, conducting 23 attacks. Large number of ammunition seized from weapons caches in the Donetsk and Mariupol sectors.
The most difficult situation in the Donetsk sector is in the Avdiivka industrial zone. A number of firefights between Ukrainian troops and militants took place during the day. Militants launched 55 mortar shells at Ukrainian positions, said Colonel Andriy Lysenko, spokesman of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine on ATO related issues at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.  “Moreover, militants violated the ceasefire at the Svitlodarsk bulge and in Zaitseve,” added Col. Lysenko.  In total, eight militants’ attacks took place in the Donetsk sector  yesterday, and one of them involved use of heavy armor.

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In the Luhansk sector militants violated the armistice in Stanytsia   Luhanska, in Zhovte-Krymske frontline area and in the Popasna district. “Russian proxies conducted a number of mortar attack at several positions of Ukrainian troops at once between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., launching almost 90 mortar shells,” said the spokesman. In total, 11 militants’ attacks took place in the last 24 hours in the Luhansk sector, and heavy armor was used during three of them.

In the Mariupol sector hostilities continue virtually along the entire frontline, but the biggest number of attacks takes place in Krasnohorivka and the coastal area. “Adversaries are actively using snipers, mortars and armor. Russia-backed militants made intense artillery attack in Novohryhorivka,” said Col. Lysenko. In total, militants delivered 23 attacks in the Mariupol sector, and ten of these involved use of heavy armor.

One Ukrainian serviceman died in combat and three were wounded.
According to Col. Lysenko, a large weapons cache containing 165 artillery shells for 152-mm cannons and 26 grenades was found near Koliadivka village in Novyi Aidar district of the Luhansk region. “Two more caches were hidden near Berdianske and Chermalyk in the Mariupol region. Two rocket propelled grenades RPG-22, five mortar shells, four grenades, over 1000 cartridges and 400 g of TNT were seized,” added the spokesman.