Earlier on Thursday, the militia of the Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) in eastern Ukraine stated that the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly over the past day, as Kiev is trying to escalate the conflict.
The mission of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) to the Joint Centre of Control and Coordination has said that Ukrainian forces shelled the outskirts of the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on Thursday.
"At 9:50 [06:50 GMT], shelling was recorded from the side of the armed formations of Ukraine in the direction of the village of Mandrykino [outskirts of Donetsk]. Five 82-mm calibre mines were fired", a DPR spokesperson told reporters.