“Holiday” ceasefire violated by terrorists within first hours. Ukrainian soldier seriously wounded today

Meanwhile, shelling continues with weapons banned by the Minsk Agreements.

On December 23, at a meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group, the sides agreed to return to full observance of the ceasefire regime in Donbas.

However, the ceasefire in fact lasted only a few hours — it was violated by the so-called “DPR” terrorists. Already today, December 26, a report came from the front about a seriously wounded soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

What happened — in order, in the material.

“Complete Ceasefire”

On December 23, the OSCE announced the possibility of returning to full observance of the ceasefire regime in Donbas for the New Year holidays.

Mikko Kinunen
OSCE spokesperson 

This is very important for people living on both sides of the line of contact. It is especially important because the security situation on the contact line remains unstable: the SMM records about five times more ceasefire violations per day on average this month compared with the figures recorded in December 2020.

The Ukrainian delegation in the TCG emphasized that this was the last meeting in 2021.

Andrii Kostin
acting first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation in the TCG

For the first time in a long while, there is a real opportunity to ensure silence along the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Ukrainian side is fully ready for this. It is important that we have seen the readiness of the other side for this step.

Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, on his Facebook page stated that this is supposedly a “step toward de-escalation”.

Andriy Yermak
head of the Office of the President

This is a step toward de-escalation in the east. We hope this time the ceasefire will be sustainable and will help save the lives of Ukraine's defenders and civilians. The upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays should be peaceful. Let silence finally reign in Donbas. At the same time, Russia claims that Ukraine is supposedly blocking the truce. 

Violation of silence and a wounded Ukrainian soldier

Just a few hours after the agreement actually took effect, illegal armed formations of the Russian Federation began shelling Ukrainian positions.

It is specified that near Shumy they fired from 82-mm mortars and automatic grenade launchers. Near Zolote-4, mercenaries opened fire from 120-mm mortars.

According to the headquarters, in Luhansk region an enemy Orlan-10 drone crossed the front line.

Already today, December 26, in the area of the Joint Forces Operation in Donbas, Russian terrorist forces seriously wounded a Ukrainian serviceman, the JFO headquarters reports on Facebook.

Near Talakivka, the enemy used an unmanned aerial vehicle, with which it dropped VOG-17 grenades.

As a result of enemy actions, one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded. The wounded man has been hospitalized; his condition is severe.

Since the start of the day, the armed formations of the Russian Federation have violated the ceasefire regime five times, one of them using weapons banned by the “Minsk Agreements.”

In the direction of Pivdenne, Pesky, Novoluhanske and Shumy, occupiers fired from grenade launchers of various systems.

Ukrainian troops returned fire and forced the enemy to stop shelling.