A briefing for ambassadors of G7 member states, the European Union and the OSCE Troika involving Ukrainian Foreign Ministry officials and members of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) to Ukraine has taken place in Kyiv.

Head of the Ukrainian Mission to the Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC) to promote the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, Maj. Gen. Andriy Taran, told the diplomats about clashes near Maryinka and Krasnohorivka in Donetsk region, describing them as "an attempt of a massive attack of Russia-backed terrorist armed units", and answered their following questions, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported on Friday.

He said the Ukrainian Armed Forces "had successfully repelled an offensive."

According to Taran, "an attempt of Russia and the militants it controls to stage an escalation of the situation was meant to capture new Ukrainian territories and strategic economic objects, as well as to check the defense capacity of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, their readiness to respond the aggressor."

"Ukraine is loyal to the Minsk agreements and ready to implement them in full; it is asking foreign partners to do everything in their power to encourage the Russian Federation to honor international law and to stop the aggression against Ukraine," the ministry said.