Russian-backed militants have opened fire on the positions of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) in Donbas 38 times over the past 24 hours, using weapons banned by the Minsk agreements eight times, the press center for the JFO headquarters has reported.

"The tensest situation was recorded near the settlements of Krymske, Troitske, Zaitseve, Butivka mine, Hranitne, Opytne, and Pavlopil, Russian occupation troops violated the ceasefire 38 times, using the weapons banned by the Minsk agreements eight times," reads a report as of 07:00 on Thursday, which was published on the Facebook page of the JFO's press center.

Illegal armed groups again violated the ceasefire near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska so as to prevent the disengagement of troops at this section in accordance with the agreements reached earlier.

"Two of our defenders were wounded in the fighting. They were evacuated to a hospital where they were provided with qualified medical assistance," the report says.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, two militants were killed, and three more were wounded.