Ukrainian Military Violated Ceasefire 27 Times in One Day – Donetsk Militia

Ukraine's armed forces have violated the ceasefire in Donbas 27 times over the course of one day, a representative of the command staff of the militia of the DNR told RIA Novosti on Saturday.

"In the course of the past 24 hours, we have recorded 27 violations of the ceasefire, resulting in the injury of one militia volunteer in the town of Gorlovka. The Ukrainian military fired 82 and 120 millimeter caliber mortars, and used tanks, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles in fire aimed at militia. The main sources of violations were recorded near the village of Spartak (northern outskirts of the city of Donetsk), at the Donetsk airport, the district of Gorlovka and the village of Shirokino," the representative noted.

Donbas militia forces from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics have repeatedly stated that they would respect the ceasefire deal reached last month, promising not to return heavy weaponry to the line of contact, despite repeated ceasefire violations and incidents of shelling by Ukrainian forces of militia held territory.

On February 12, the Contact Group on Ukraine managed to reach a ceasefire agreement, which has been in force in eastern Ukraine, including the Donbas region, since February 15. The agreement stipulates a raft of measures, including the comprehensive ceasefire in the Donbas region, the withdrawal of heavy weapons and the establishment of a security zone.

The conflict in eastern Ukraine began in April 2014 as an attempt by the new authorities in Ukraine to crush forces opposed to the coup d'état which had taken place in Kiev in February. Over 6,000 people are believed to have been killed in the conflict, according to the United Nations.