Photo from Ukraine's Defense Ministry

The situation in Donbas escalated in the past day: two Ukrainian soldiers were killed and nine were wounded in action on Monday, May 21.

Fighting with Russian-led forces in eastern Ukraine continued along the entire contact line, the press service of the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said on Facebook on Tuesday morning.

There have been no Ukrainian casualties on May 22.

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The occupation forces attacked Ukrainian troops 53 times in the past day. In particular, 30 attacks were mounted with the use of proscribed 122mm artillery systems, 120mm and 82mm mortars.

During the day on May 21, the enemy resorted to the offensive to oust the Ukrainian army from the liberated village of Pivdenne, having attacked from three directions.

Ukraine's joint forces fired back not to let Russia's hybrid military units force out the Ukrainian army from the advantageous defensive positions.

In particular, Ukrainian troops took counter-sniper measures near the towns of Avdiyivka and Maryinka, after which enemy sniper fire was ceased.

According to Ukraine's intelligence, 15 enemy troops were eliminated and another 13 were wounded.

In the Luhansk sector, Russia's hybrid military forces became active near the village of Troyitske. In the Donetsk sector, escalation was reported near the villages of Zaitseve, Luhanske, Novoluhanske, Mayorsk, Shumy, Zhelezne, Pivdenne, Novhorodske, Novoihnativka, as well as Avdiyivka and Maryinka.

Fighting continued in the Mariupol sector where the villages of Chermalyk, Vodiane and Shyrokyne were hot spots.