Photo from UNIAN, Anatoliy Stepanov

The Command of Ukraine's Armed Forces has reported one soldier killed and another one wounded in action amid eight violations of the ceasefire agreement by Russia-controlled armed groups in the Donbas warzone on Sunday, April 18.

"In the past day, April 18, eight ceasefire violations by the Russian Federation's armed formations were recorded in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) zone," the press center of the Ukrainian JFO Command said on Facebook in an update as of 07:00 a.m. Kyiv time on April 19, 2021.

In particular, Russia-led troops fired proscribed 120mm mortars and automatic grenade launchers near the village of Vodiane, as well as grenade launchers of various systems, heavy machine guns and automatic rifles near the town of Avdiyivka, and the villages of Starohnativka, Pisky, and Katerynivka.

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Also, the invaders used tripod-mounted man-portable antitank guns near the village of Shyrokyne.

"As a result of enemy fire, one Ukrainian defender received fatal wounds, another soldier was wounded by shrapnel. The wounded soldier was promptly given first aid and rushed to the hospital," the report says.

The Joint Forces' Command expresses its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased serviceman.

The violations were reported to OSCE representatives through the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC) of the ceasefire in Donbas.

The Joint Forces had to fire back.

Since Monday midnight, April 19, three ceasefire violations were recorded in the JFO zone. In particular, the enemy fired 120mm mortars, anti-tank missile systems and anti-aircraft guns near the village of Pivdenne, as well as 82mm mortars, heavy machine guns and rifles near the village of Mayorsk.

The enemy also remotely planted POM-2 anti-personnel mines with the use of hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers near the village of Zaitseve.

No casualties have been reported since Monday midnight.

The Ukrainian military say the situation is under their full control.

Donbas ceasefire: Background

Participants in the Trilateral Contact Group (Ukraine, Russia, and the OSCE) on the peaceful settlement in Donbas on July 22 agreed on a full and comprehensive ceasefire along the contact line from 00:01 on Monday, July 27, 2020.

On the very first day of the newly-agreed truce, Russia's hybrid military forces mounted three attacks on Ukrainian positions. Ukraine has reported more such violations over the entire period of "truce".