Hostilities are escalating in Donbas as Ukraine’s Joint Forced Operation command reports 12 ceasefire violations from Russian armed units with two of those marked by use of weapons banned by Minsk agreements.

Russia-led army groups opened fire with large-calibre machine guns at Svetlodarsk and deployed drones to drop VOG-17  bombs in the Azov Sea littoral.

Ukrainian army positions were also hit with grenades and automatic weapons shots at Vodyane, Zaytseve, and Novotashivkse.

Use of 120 mm caliber mortars by Russia-led separatists left 2 Ukrainian soldiers seriously  wounded.

The Ukrainian military had to engage to stave off further provocations, said Joint Forces operation command in a statement Thursday.