On December 4 illegal armed formations significantly stepped up the shelling of Ukrainian military positions along the dividing line in Donbas, having carried out a total of 16 shell attacks, most of which targeted the Novhorodske district of Donetsk region.

Since 9 a.m. the enemy "opened fire against our strongholds in Zaitseve, Maiorsk and Novhorodske four times, using 82mm mortar launchers, infantry fighting vehicle armaments, man-portable anti-tank grenade launchers, large-caliber machineguns and small arms." In Zaitseve and Mayorsk, the shelling lasted for about three hours, the military operation's press center said on its Facebook page on Friday.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces responded by firing small arms twice.

Also, today saw "another 12 instances of random gunfire" against Ukrainian positions near Pisky, Zaitseve, Novhorodske and Krasnohorivka. The overwhelming majority of the attacks (seven times) concentrated on Novhorodske. Gunfire was launched from small arms, automatic and man-portable grenade launchers, large-caliber machineguns, 82mm mortar launchers, and the armament of a BMP- 2 infantry fighting vehicle," the press center said.