In the previous reporting period, fighting was escalated with 41 attacks, Unian.net reported. These included firing on the Donetsk line at Avdeyevka, Mayorsk, and the Butovka mine. A Ukrainian soldier was wounded at 18:00. Zaytsevo and Nevelskoye were also attacked.

On the Maritime line, militants fired 82-mm mortars and various grenade-launchers at Maryinka, Vodyanoye, and Shirokino. An armed BMP was used twice near Novotroitskoye.

Another  Ukrainian soldier was wounded later during a battle on the Lugansk line near Krymskoye, Unian.net reported. citing the ATO [Anti-Terrorist Operation].

Russia-backed militants fired from grenade-launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms near Mayorsk, Peski, Luganskoye and Nevelskoye; Avdeyevke was also struck.

Militants also fired from an armed BMP near Talakovka. 

The OSCE has counted 400 civilian casualties in the Donbass in 2017, 15% more than in the same period in 2016, Unian.net reported.

Alexander Hug, first deputy head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission said the casualties -- which he did not separate into deaths and injuries -- came even as cease-fire violations decreased by half.

He said heavy artillery should be pulled back to the distances agreed under the Minsk accord.

-- Catherine  Fitzpatrick