"The inflow of volunteers continues — up to 200 people every day, it remains steady," Zakharchenko said at a news briefing in Donetsk.
The mobilization of volunteers in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics (DPR, LPR) began on February 9. Back then, DPR chief Alexander Zakharchenko and Deputy Commander Eduard Basurin said they planned to boost the number of troops to 100,000 people.
The armed conflict in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014 as Kiev launched a military operation against independence supporters.
Under the recent reconciliation deal hammered out on February 12 by the leaders of Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine in Minsk and signed later by Kiev and independence supporters, the warring sides agreed to a ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weaponry.
On Thursday, both Kiev and Donbas forces declared they were pulling back weapons under the peace accord.
