Photo from UNIAN

The combined Russian-separatist forces attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 44 times in the past 24 hours, according to a report.

"In addition to mortars of calibers banned by the Minsk agreements, militants have again used cannon artillery, for the first time in a long period. The Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of Zaitseve and Mayorsk were able to keep the defense after they had been attacked four times with 122-millimeter mortars," the ATO press center’s statement reads.

Avdiyivka is said to remain one of the most hostile areas in the Donetsk direction. The enemy has applied a whole arsenal of weapons but could not dislodge the ATO forces from their positions.

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It is reported that militants have also fired near the villages of Luhanske, Novgorod, Mayorsk, Zaitseve, Leninske, Pisky, Opytne, Shyrokyne, Troitske and Maryinka.

"In the Luhansk direction, militants attempted to storm one of the Ukrainian army strongpoints using small arms. The ATO forces have maintained their positions forcing the enemy to retreat," according to the statement.