Recently, the number of shellings and provocations by the illegal armed groups in Donbass has increased substantially. Just today, thirteen instances of such shellings have taken place around the towns of Debaltseve, Hnytove, Novohryhorivka, Troitske, Chornyhine, Mayorsk, Krymske, as well as the Donetsk airport. Of particular concern is that the militants again resumed using the BM-21 “Grad” multiple launch rocket systems, artillery and mortars.

Such provocations by the Russia-backed illegal armed groups show that nothing is sacred for them – even in the days before the joyous holiday of Christmas they are continuing to bring death and devastation to the Ukrainian land.

We consider these actions as deliberate violations of the Minsk agreements and an attempt to jeopardize the efforts being undertaken today by Ukraine and its international partners for the implementation of the Peace Plan of the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.