January 6, the situation in eastern Ukraine worsened as Russia-backed illegal armed units attacked positions of the government troops 51 times. Another 10 attacks were reported January 7, ATO Press Centre reported at Facebook.
Wednesday evening, pro-Kremlin mercenaries opened adjusted fire from automatic grenade launchers near Maryinka; small arms and under-barrel grenade launchers were used near Verhnyotoretske and Hranitne (all in Donetsk region).
Militants provoked Ukrainian troops to return fire in the vicinity of Horlivka. They fired from heavy machineguns, grenade launchers and small arms near Mayorsk, Zaitsevo and Novhorodske. Pisky and Opytne were fired at from small arms and grenade launchers.
Another 10 attacks took place after midnight. The vicinities of Donetsk airport, Novhorodske and Horlivka. Enemy 120 mm mortars, banned by Minsk agreements, were fired several times near Zaitsevo.
Previously, December 23, the full ceasefire should have come into force in Donbas, as was offered by negotiators of the Minsk trilateral contact group. Nonetheless, the enemy continues to ignore the deal and fires at Ukrainian positions.