Russia's hybrid military forces have attacked Ukrainian army positions in Donbas nine times in the past 24 hours, with one Ukrainian soldier reported as killed in action and another four as wounded in action, the press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters has reported.
"In general, nine shelling attacks of ATO forces by militants have been recorded over the past day. Russian-occupation groups continue disregarding the cease-fire agreements for the New Year and Christmas holidays and shelling the defense fortifications of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the mortars banned by the Minsk agreements," the ATO staff said on Facebook on Friday morning.
In the Luhansk sector, the enemy fire was most intense near the Svitlodarska Duha bulge. The enemy fired 120mm and 82mm mortars and heavy machine guns near the village of Luhanske, as well as grenade launchers of various types and small arms on the defenders of the village of Novoluhanske. In the latter case, the Ukrainian military were forced to suppress enemy fire. Furthermore, the illegal armed groups violated the ceasefire near the village of Novozvanivka, firing heavy machine guns.
In the Donetsk sector, the Mariupol sector was the epicenter of instability. There, the occupiers actively engaged the Ukrainian positions near the villages of Shyrokyne, Hnutove and Lebedynske using 120mm and 82mm mortars. Defenders of the village of Pisky were shelled from grenade launchers of different types.
It should be noted that the aggressor continues its aerial reconnaissance efforts. The enemy drones, banned by the Minsk agreements, were spotted seven times in various sectors near the contact line.
