The Ukrainian armed forces fired mortar shells and grenades at five positions in the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) in eastern Ukraine at 2:30 a.m. GMT on Thursday, Russia's RIA news agency has reported, citing the Joint Center for Control and Coordination (JCCC), an organization tasked with implementing the Minsk ceasefire agreements.

"The armed formations of Ukraine grossly violated the ceasefire regime, using weapons that, in accordance with the Minsk agreements, should be withdrawn," an officer of the LPR representation in the JCCC was quoted as saying.

According to him, the Ukrainian forces shelled the settlements of Sokolniki, Zolote-5, Veselenkoe and Nizhnee Lozovoe, from 5:30 a.m. Moscow time, using 120 and 82 mm mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns.