Militants have opened fire on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in eastern Ukraine seven times over the past 24 hours, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters has reported.

"The enemy has violated the ceasefire seven times over the past 24 hours. Despite the fact that enemy shelling threatened the lives of our defenders, Ukrainian warriors were forced in one case to open fire from weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements. None of our servicemen were killed or wounded as a result of enemy shelling," the ATO HQ said in a report on its Facebook page early on Saturday.

In the Luhansk sector, militants violated the ceasefire on the Svitlodarsk Bulge several times, firing at the defenders of Luhanske from 82mm mortars and large-caliber machineguns. Illegal armed groups also used small arms near Stanytsia Luhanska.

In the Donetsk sector, militants were active near Shyrokyne, where Ukrainian defenders spotted a subversive and reconnaissance group of illegal armed formations that was moving towards their positions.

"When the distance became critically close, our soldiers opened fire from small arms and forced the saboteurs to retreat. The enemy left one wounded man on the battlefield. Our defenders evacuated him from the battlefield, and he was provided with medical assistance," the press center added.

In addition, militants repeatedly fired from heavy mortars in the same area in the evening. Over 15 120mm mines exploded close to Ukrainian positions near Shyrokyne and Vodiane.