The Armed Forces of Ukraine absolutely support the decision to return to full compliance with the measures to strengthen the ceasefire in Donbas on July 22, 2020, however, in the event of a threat to the life and health of military personnel or civilians, the military is not prohibited from opening fire in response, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhny said.

"Our military carried out and continue to carry out tasks. They protect their homeland, protect their civilians, and protect themselves. Of course, if there is a threat to the life and health of military personnel or civilians, the military should do what they should do and what they were doing. But again, I draw your attention to the fact that we are military people, we absolutely support the ceasefire regime introduced, which, of course, will make it possible to avoid losses that could have happened," Zaluzhny told reporters at the presentation of the concept of the award system of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed forces of Ukraine on the 30th anniversary of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Kyiv, answering the question of whether the Ukrainian military can respond to provocations.

He clarified that the ceasefire regime does not prohibit the Ukrainian military from opening fire in response to shelling by Russian mercenaries.

"Nobody forbids them to shoot in response. I would like to draw your attention once again to the fact that it is not a question of a prohibition to fire in response, but a ceasefire regime, its observance," Zaluzhny said.

As reported, on December 22, within the framework of a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) on resolving the situation in Donbas, the parties at the level of heads of delegations expressed their firm resolution to fully comply with the measures to strengthen the ceasefire regime of July 22, 2020.