Ukrainian army HQ reports 71 attacks by militants in past 24 hours

Separatists keep shelling Ukrainian military checkpoints with mortars, grenade launchers, large-calibre submachine guns, and infantry-fighting vehicles, the press centre reported on Friday. Traditional hotspots’ of militants’ attacks are villages around the city of Donetsk. Ukrainian soldiers fired back in response to the militant forces' strikes near Maryinka, the press centre said. Two Ukrainian soldiers have been injured in the past 24 hours, Ukrainian presidential administration spokesman for army operation Andriy Lysenko told a briefing in Kyiv on Friday. He said the situation in the counterterrorism operation zone is exacerbating and militants are increasingly using heavy weapons (mortars and armoured vehicles).