Militants shell Ukrainian positions four times; one Ukrainian killed in clash with separatists

Russia-backed separatists violated the truce opening fire at Ukrainian positions four times. They used small arms, grenade launchers, infantry combat vehicles, and heavy machine guns near Shchastia, Avdiyivka, and Artemivsk, the press centre reports. One Ukrainian soldier was killed over the past day, Presidential Administration spokesman for army operation Andriy Lysenko said. “The enemy made another attempt to penetrate Ukrainian defence lines in the Stanytsia Luhanska district of the Luhansk,” he said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday. A group of militants crossed the Siversky Donets River, entered the village of Syze and clashed with Ukrainian servicemen. "The enemy retreated after a 30-minute gunfire exchange. One of our servicemen was killed in the clash. The [government] forces did not suffer any other casualties over the past day," Lysenko said.