The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) recorded a sharp increase in ceasefire violations in Donbas throughout the day, March 25, according to the website of the international organization.

"In Donetsk region, the Mission recorded 493 ceasefire violations, most of them shots and bursts of small-arms fire. In the previous reporting period, it recorded 89 ceasefire violations in the region," the Mission said in a daily report, published on its website on March 26.

In Luhansk region, the SMM recorded one ceasefire violation.

Small-arms were fired near an SMM patrol in government-controlled Pavlopil, Donetsk region.

In addition, the Mission recorded ten howitzers, 15 tanks and one multiple launch rocket system deployed in violation of disengagement lines at three test ranges in non-government-controlled areas of Donetsk region.

According the OSCE, following the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on July 22, 2020, at which an agreement was reached on additional measures to strengthen the ceasefire, starting from 00:01 on July 27, 2020 and until now, the SMM has recorded at least 12,000 violations ceasefire regime in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including 4,692 explosions, 1,540 projectiles in flight, 154 muzzle flares, 63 illumination flares, and at least 6,926 bursts and shots.