Russia-backed militants violated the ceasefire five times in eastern Ukraine yesterday and used 120-mm and 82-mm mortars. Ukrainian troops returned fire in one case, reported Ukrainian Ministry of Defense spokesman on ATO Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk at a press briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
In Luhansk sector, militants committed one ceasefire violations near Luhanske having fired four 82-mm mortar rounds in addition to heavy machine gun fire which continued for about 40 minutes.
In Donetsk sector, the first militants’ attack started right after the midnight near Verkhniotoretske. “They enemy used small arms and fired eleven 82-mm mortar rounds,” noted Col. Motuzyanyk. The attack continued for about 90 minutes, Ukrainian servicemen returned fire once using small arms. Moreover, Russian proxies fired from 120-mm and 82-mm mortars near Vodiane and twice near Pavlopil, firing 18 mortar rounds.
Unfortunately, one Ukrainian serviceman was killed by an explosive device near Novotoshkivske yesterday.
Report on the military developments as of January 1 is available here. Interactive data on the shelling: chronology shelling chart and the interactive map.
