The situation in the antiterrorist operation (ATO) area remains difficult, the number of shooting attacks by militants reached 112 on 17 March, the ATO HQ said in its Facebook update the following morning.
As a result, four Ukrainian troops were killed and three wounded.
In the Mariupol sector, the militants fired with 120-mm mortars and 122-mm artillery on the positions of the Ukrainian army near Lebedynske, Shyrokyne, Hnutove and Vodyane. ATO strongpoints near Talakivka and Chermalyk came under fire from 120-mm mortars. The militants targeted fortifications near Maryinka and Krasnohorivka with grenade launchers and 82-mm and 120-mm mortars as well as 122-mm and 152-mm artillery.
In the Donetsk sector, they carried out 10 shooting attacks with heavy weapons, tanks and 120-mm mortars near Avdiyivka. The old part of the town came under fire. ATO fortifications near Opytne and Novhorodske were targeted with 82-mm mortars, Luhanske with 122-mm artillert systems, infantry fighting vehicles and tripod-mounted antitank guns. The militants used mortars against ATO positions near Verkhnyotoretske and Nevelske.
In the Luhansk sector, they fired with mortars and tripod-mounted antitank guns on Novozvanivka, Slavne and Katerynivka.
Technicians managed to repair a power line to Avdiyivka, which was damaged by fire, and put the Donetsk water filtering station back on stream too.