One Ukrainian serviceman killed in Donbas over past day

One Ukrainian serviceman has been killed in the army operation zone in Donbas in the past 24 hours, and another two suffered injuries, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Andriy Lysenko said.

"One serviceman of ours was killed and two were wounded over the past day," Lysenko said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Monday.

He said tensions had been escalating in the army operation zone. "The enemy has been broadening the geography of hostilities and has been actively using heavy weapons. This endangers the fulfillment of the agreements on the disengagement of forces and hardware in three designated zones," the ministry spokesman said.

In his words, tensions persisted near Krymske in the Luhansk sector. The hostiles fired approximately 130 mortar mines on Ukrainian army positions. Ceasefire violations were also observed near Stanytsia Luhanska and in the Popasna district. Two mortar attacks were observed in Novo-Oleksandrivka during the night. In all, 16 ceasefire violations, including six engaging heavy weapons, were observed in the Luhansk sector over the past day, he said.

Heavy fighting was reported from Zaitseve and Avdiyivka in the Donetsk sector, Lysenko said, adding that the enemy was using 152mm howitzers and mortars in Zaitseve and a tank and mortars in Avdiyivka. Twelve ceasefire violations were seen through the day, including three with the use of heavy armaments, he said.

The enemy continued to attack Maryinka and the Pavlopil-Shyrokyne line in the Mariupol sector, where light weapons and infantry combat vehicles were used. The Ukrainian army had to return fire. In all, 20 shelling incidents were observed in the Mariupol sector during the day, he said.