ATO: Militants shell Ukrainian army positions using grenade launchers and mortars

The militants attacked Ukrainian army positions in eastern Ukraine 19 times in the past 24 hours, using banned weapons.

The press center of the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) reported.

"The Russian-backed mercenaries fired 82mm mortars five times on ATO forces, including three times on the defenders of the town of Avdiyivka, and one attack was near the town of Shchastia and the village of Zaitseve each. The enemy also fired automatic grenade launchers and mortars on the Ukrainian positions near the villages of Triokhizbenka, Shyrokyne and Berezove," the report says.

"The Ukrainian military had to return fire nine times in order to hold their positions," the press center said.