Monitors of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) have recorded a considerable increase in the number of ceasefire violations in the anti-terrorist operation zone in Donbas over the past week.

OSCE SMM monitors recorded around 20,000 truce breaches in the past week, a 25% increase over the week before, OSCE SMM Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug said during a press conference via Skype on Friday.

From 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, the OSCE SMM observed some 3,000 violations, half of which were explosions, Hug said. Around 1,000 violations were recorded near Avdiivka and Popasna over this period, he said.

Hug said the OSCE SMM had warned that such an escalation could occur.

OSCE monitors recorded some 500 explosions in the vicinity of Popasna in the course of one night and on December 2 observed 3,000 violations, half of which were near Yasynuvata and Avdiyivka, he said.

Hug called on the sides in the conflict to abide by their commitments under the Minsk Agreements.