While international efforts continue to prevent the Russian-Ukrainian conflict from sliding into a full-blown war, and the impact of Western sanctions on Russia after its recognition of two separatist regions in Ukraine, the Ukrainian army announced the killing of a soldier and wounding six, in shelling carried out by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, with the ceasefire violations continuing at a high level.

The army added that it had monitored 96 incidents of bombardment by the separatists, noting that they used heavy artillery, mortars and the Grad missile system in their attacks.