MOSCOW, February 15 (Sputnik) – The truce, agreed earlier in the week, became effective at midnight local time on Sunday.
"In general, there is a tendency of a decrease in the the intensity of fighting," the services' deputy head Oleh Slobodyan told Ukrainian 112 TV channel.
The official said that the border service registered some 30 "chaotic" shellings on Sunday, compared to almost 180 seen on Saturday.
On Thursday, the warring sides agreed on a list of measures on the deescalation of the conflict in southeastern Ukraine. Apart from the ceasefire, Kiev and independence militias must exchange all prisoners and establish a buffer zone in the conflict area.
A similar agreement was signed last September. However, the clashes in eastern Ukraine continued and even intensified in the first weeks of 2015.