Pro-Russian separatists have opened fire on Ukrainian servicemen in Donbas almost 40 times since the start of the day, the press centre of the antiterrorist operation (ATO) HQ has said on Facebook.
Intensive fire by the militants was registered mostly in the Donetsk and Artemivsk sectors, including against the strongpoints of Ukrainian servicemen near Pisky, Opytne, Avdiyivka, Novhorodske, Zaytseve and Luhanske. They mostly used firearms, grenade launchers of various types and large-calibre machine guns.
Two incidents of sniper fire were recorded near Maryinka.
The ATO strongpoints near Novhorodske were shot at with 82-mm mortars twice.
There was an engagement near Vodyane in the Mariupol sector, during which the militants first targeted civilian houses and later a Ukrainian unit. The ATO troops returned fire, forcing the attackers to retreat.
The agreement on full cease-fire reached in Minsk this week was to come into effect in the early hours of 14 January. The new cease-fire was initiated by Russia's representative in the trilateral contact group, Boris Gryzlov.