The situation in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine remains tense after 33 attacks on Ukrainian troops in the past 24 hours, the press center of the ATO headquarters wrote on Facebook on Wednesday morning.

"The enemy continues intensive fire on our soldiers in the industrial zone of the town of Avdiyivka. At night, the terrorists repeatedly opened fire from grenade launchers, anti-aircraft systems and 82mm mortars. Small arms fire almost never stops there," it said.

Ukrainian strongholds near the villages of Zaitseve and Luhanske along the Svitlodarska Duha – a stretch between the militant-controlled town of Horlivka and the town of Svitlodarsk in Donetsk region – were under enemy fire. Militants used small arms and grenade launchers.

ATO forces deployed near the village of Sokilnyky in Luhansk region were twice shelled by militants, who used antitank guided missiles. In the same direction, the enemy was firing from grenade launchers on the defenders of the village of Stanytsia Lyhanska.

The situation in the Mariupol sector was also tense. Occupiers used grenade launchers to shell Ukrainian positions near the villages of Shyrokyne, Hranytne, and Hnutove.

What is more, militants attempted to breach the defensive line not far from the village of Novotroitske in the evening. Enemy infantry fighting vehicles launched the offensive with the support of snipers and fire from grenade launchers. Ukrainian troops fired back to eliminate an enemy infantry fighting vehicle, after which the attackers retreated.

Enemy drones were spotted nine times over the Ukrainian territory in the past 24 hours.

Since the beginning of Wednesday, illegal armed units have already shelled Ukrainian troops four times. They fired from small arms and grenade launchers on Shyrokyne, Avdiyivka, and Zaitseve.