Over the past day, militants 33 times fired at the positions of Ukrainian troops in the zone of the antiterrorist operation in Donbass, the ATO press center reported via Facebook on 26 December.
In the Mariupol sector, the Russian-backed separatists pounded Lebedynske from 122-mm artillery, and Shyrokyne, Talakivka and Vodyane from 82-mm mortars. Rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns and small arms were used in the areas of Starohnativka, Shyrokyne and Pavlopil. An enemy sniper was active in the vicinity of Novotroyitske.
In the Donetsk sector, the enemy fired 120- and 82-mm mortars, and IFV weapons and grenade launchers at Luhanske, Artemovo, Novhorodske and Verhnyotoretske. Zaytsevo was under small arms fire.
In the Luhansk sector, militants fired grenade launchers and small arms terrorists at Stanytsya Luhanska and Novozvanivka.
Last week, the Trilateral Contact Group on Donbas settlement agreed on the introduction of the ceasefire for the duration of Christmas holidays starting 00:00 on 24 December. The two sides began discussing four new sites for the disengagement of forces and weaponry.
As of the morning of 24 December it was quiet along the frontline, but already in 25 minutes. the militants breached the ceasefire by firing at the positions of government troops in the area of Zhovte in the Luhansk sector.
Fierce fighting has continued since Sunday, 18 December at the so-called Svitlodarsk bulge. Eight Ukrainian military died in combat.