Timeline of the war in Donbass (September 2016)



This is a timeline of the War in Donbass, from 1 July to 30 September 2016. The timeline follows an ongoing conflict between Ukraine and anti-government pro-Russian separatists supported by Russian troops in the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine.

1 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 25 occasions on Ukrainian troops on 31 August, including on 14 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, on 10 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and once in Luhansk region. One Ukrainian soldier was killed the previous morning in a clash with pro-Russian fighters at Bohdanivka, in the region of Mariupol. According to Ukraine's Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak no ceasefire violations were registered during the first nine hours of the first day of September, in observance of the truce proposed by the contact group at Minsk on 26 August. According to German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier the latest truce deal had sharply reduced military activities. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and another wounded in action in the Donbass region during the last day of August. According to separatist sources, Ukrainian forces opened fire onpro-Russian positions on 139 occasions. The Ukrainian military used small arms, rocket launchers, 82mm and 120mm mortars to attack the settlements of Yasynuvata, Zaitseve, Spartak, Sakhanka, Oleksandrivka, Dokuchaievsk and Petrovsky district. Officials from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic claimed that the Ukrainian army broke the truce agreement on four occasions in the territory of the republic. The Ukrainian forces engaged pro-Russian redoubts at Lohvynove, Kalynivka, Lozove and Nyzhne Lozove with small arms, automatic grenade launchers and 73mm recoilless antitank guns.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 6 occasions; the incidents occurred between 10:00 am and 6:00 pm. Heavy machine gun fire was reported in Luhanske, north of Horlivka. Meanwhile, 73mm recoilless antitank guns fired at Troitske and Nevelske, in the area around Donetsk city. The stronghold of Avdiivka became the target of small arms fire and automatic grenade launchers.

According to the report published by Bellingcat on 31 August, Wednesday, thousands of Russian servicemen participated in 2014 and 2015 in combat operations and were awarded with medals for their actions.

2 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 11 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 8 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city and on 3 occasions in the region of Mariupol. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in action in the Donbass region on 1 September. No ceasefire violations were recorded in Luhansk Oblast. Pro-Russian authorities reported six soldiers killed and ten wounded in action over the past week. In addition, eight civilian residents died and forty-six were injured as a result of the Ukrainian shelling. For the first time in months, Luhansk People's Republic officials recorded no Ukrainian violations of the truce inside the republic boundaries.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions once – a Ukrainian outpost at Novoaleksandrivka, Luhansk region, was fired at from small arms, the fire was not returned. From 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm Ukrainian positions in the surroundings of Donetsk city and in the region of Mariupol were engaged with automatic grenade launchers, 73mm recoilless antitank guns and 120mm mortars. Small arms fire was reported at Vodiane and Maryinka.

3 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 11 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 8 occasions in the region of Mariupol, on 2 occasions in Luhansk region, and once in the outskirts of Donetsk city. A Donetsk People's Republic soldier threatened to set-off an anti-personnel mine in front of OSCE monitors near Styla. Both the use of anti-personnel mines and the restriction of the freedom of movement for the monitors are expressly forbidden by the Minsk deals. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon no casualties in the Donbass region on 2 September. According to pro-Russian sources, the Ukrainian military broke the ceasefire on nine occasions using small arms. In the territory of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, the local authorities reported one violation of the fresh ceasefire agreement when Ukrainian forces engaged rebel positions at Lohvynove with small arms fire.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions in the regions of Donetsk city and Mariupol, no ceasefire violations were recorded in Luhansk region. Around Donetsk city, Ukrainian redoubts between Avdiivka and rebel-held Yasynuvata became the target of under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic grenade launchers, while the village of Verkhnyotoretske came under heavy machine gun fire. Sniper activity was reported at Maryinka.

4 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 16 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 9 occasions in the region of Mariupol and on 7 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city; the fire was not returned. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon no casualties in the Donbass region on 3 September. Pro-Russian officials denounced 37 Ukrainian attacks on their positions over the past 24 hours. The Ukrainian military employed small arms, rocket launchers and armoured fighting vehicles. Eyewitnesses on the ground also claimed that the Ukrainian army fired 82mm mortar rounds on the village of Sakhanka, east of Mariupol. According to authorities from the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic, Ukrainian forces from Katerinivka fired small arms on pro-Russian troops at Pervomaisk.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 11 occasions. Around Donetsk city, Ukrainian forces in the area between Avdiivka and Yasynuvata became the target of small arms and rocket launchers. Verkhnyotoretske came under heavy machine gun fire, and Ukrainian troops at Maryinka were harassed by sniper fire. In the region of Mariupol, pro-Russian armoured vehicles attacked Ukrainian redoubts on the frontline between Shyrokyne and Pavlopil supported by small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. No ceasefire violations were recorded at Luhansk Oblast.

5 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 20 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 13 occasions in the region of Mariupol, on six occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, and once in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO, Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in action in Avdiivka on 4 September. Four servicemen and a border guard were injured by the explosion of a hand grenade inside a military vehicle. Two servicemen were wounded when an explosive device went off at Krasnohorivka. A 15-minutes clash between the warring parties took place at Troitske, in the surroundings of Donetsk city, Motuzyanyk added. Deputy minister of defence of the Donetsk People's Republic, Eduard Basurin, reported 49 Ukrainian violations of the ceasefire. The Ukrainian military used small arms, rocket launchers, 82mm mortars, 120mm mortars, armoured fighting vehicles and 122mm self-propelled artillery. One pro-Russian soldier was severely wounded in action.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 8 occasions. The rebels engaged Ukrainian troops at Avdiivka, west of Donetsk city, and Luhanske, north of Horlivka, with small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. In the region of Mariupol, sniper activity was reported at Shyrokyne.

6 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 21 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 6 occasions in the region of Mariupol, 4 of them employing heavy weapons and on 13 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city. Sixteen wounded Ukrainian servicemen were hospitalised in Kharkiv military hospital. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was killed, two others and a policeman were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 5 September. Pro-Russian officials reported that Ukrainian troops opened fire on their positions on 50 occasions using small arms, grenade launchers, 82mm mortars, 120mm mortars, armoured fighting vehicles and 122mm self-propelled artillery. The main targets were Yasynuvata, Kominternove and Petrovsky district. Sources from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic said that Ukrainian forces attacked their troops around Knyaz Igor memorial with under-barrel grenade launchers, rocket propelled grenades, armoured personnel carriers and armoured fighting vehicles. Officer of Ukrainian Marine Corps was killed at Marinka.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 7 occasions. Pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles engaged Ukrainian redoubts between Shyrokyne and Talakivka, in the region of Mariupol, supported by 82mm and 120mm mortar barrages. West of Donetsk, Avdiivka came under heavy machine gun fire, while in the northern sector of the demarcation line, Ukrainian troops at Novozvanivka were harassed with small arms fire.

7 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire 21 times on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 15 occasions in the region of Mariupol, on 3 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, and on 3 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in action in the Donbass region on 6 September. A female civilian was injured when Avdiivka was shelled by rebel forces. Pro-Russian sources recorded 102 Ukrainian attacks on their positions. The Ukrainian military employed small arms, grenade launchers, 82mm mortars, 120mm mortars, armoured fighting vehicles and 122mm self-propelled artillery. The main incidents took place at Yasynuvata, Oleksandrivka, Dokuchaievsk, Kominternove, Leninske, Sakhanka and Petrovsky district. In the territory of the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic, Ukrainian troops from Svetlodarsk shelled Lozove with automatic grenade launchers.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 7 occasions. Shyrokyne, east of Mariupol, where the rebels fired heavy machine guns, rocket launchers and 82mm mortars, was the main flashpoint. Ukrainian troops at Hranitne received small arms fire. West of Donetsk city, pro-Russian forces engaged Ukrainian redoubts at Avdiivka with small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. Small arms fire was reported at Avdiivka.

8 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 20 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 8 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, on 9 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on 3 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon no casualties in the Donbass region on 7 September. Pro-Russian officials claimed that Ukrainian forces opened fire on their military positions on 128 occasions employing small arms, rocket launchers, 82mm mortars, 120mm mortars and armoured fighting vehicles. The main targets were Yasynuvata, Zhabicheve, Dokuchaievsk, Sakhanka, Staromyhailivka and Petrovsky district. One pro-Russian soldier was killed in action in the outskirts of Donetsk city. The department of defence of the Luhansk People's Republic reported three Ukrainian attacks inside the boundaries of the self-proclaimed state. Pro-Russian positions around Knyaz Igor memorial were the target of heavy machine guns and automatic grenade launchers. Ukrainian forces from Luhanske shelled Kalynivka with 73mm recoilless antitank guns. Separatist troops at Hryashchivka received small arms fire from the Ukrainian-held village of Size. Late in the evening, a rebel outpost near Bezimenne, east of Mariupol, was engaged with 82mm mortar fire.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 11 occasions. In the region of Mariupol, heavy shelling was reported in the villages of Vodiane and Talakivka, which came under 82mm and 120mm mortar fire. Rebel forces fired heavy machine guns and rocket launchers on Ukrainian troops at Shyrokyne and Novotroitske. Around Donetsk city, the separatists shelled Avdiivka with automatic grenade launchers, while Ukrainian troops at Verkhnyotoretske were harassed with small arms and heavy machine gun fire. Hostile snipers were active in Maryinka. In the northern section of the demarcation line, rebel troops engaged Ukrainian redoubts at Novooleksandrivka and Novozvanivka with small arms, heavy machine guns and automatic grenade launchers.

9 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire 24 times on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 11 occasions in the region of Mariupol, on 7 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, and on 6 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and two others were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 8 September. The casualties occurred at Maryinka. A member of Donbas Battalion was killed by a mine explosion. Pro-Russian authorities recorded 526 Ukrainian attacks on their positions over the past week. No violations of the ceasefire were reported inside the territory of the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 12 occasions. The separatists shelled Shrokyne, east of Mariupol, with 82 mm and 120 mm mortars, while in the area west of Donetsk city, Ukrainian forces at Avdiivka and Maryinka became the target of small arms fire and automatic grenade launchers. In the northern front, the rebels engaged Ukrainian redoubts at Novooleksandrivka with small arms, heavy machine guns and automatic grenade launchers.

10 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 30 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including 5 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, 10 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and 15 occasions in Luhansk Oblast. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that three Ukrainian servicemen were killed and one wounded in the Donbass region on 9 September. The casualties occurred when an explosive device struck a Ukrainian army firing point at Maryinka. Donetsk People's Republic deputy minister of defence, Eduard Basurin, said that Ukrainian forces opened fire on pro-Russian positions on 136 occasions. The Ukrainian military employed small arms, grenade launchers, 82 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars and armoured fighting vehicles. There was one incident involving 122 mm self-propelled artillery. The main targets were Yasynuvata, Vesele, Spartak, Vasiliivka, Oleksandrivka, Sakhanka, Oktyabr and Petrovsky district. Meanwhile, authorities from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic reported one Ukrainian violation of the truce when the village of Kalinove became the target of 73mm recoilless antitank guns firing from Novozvanivka.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 14 occasions. In the region of Mariupol, rebel troops engaged Ukrainian outposts at Vodiane with rocket propelled grenades and harassed Ukrainian troops at Hranitne with small arms fire. Around Donetsk city, Avdiivka and Verkhnyotoretske were fired at from small arms, heavy machine guns and rocket launchers. The village of Novozvanivka, in the northern section of the demarcation line, was hit by machine gun fire, rocket propelled grenades and 120 mm mortar rounds.

11 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 30 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on 14 occasions in the region of Mariupol, on 10 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, and on 6 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in action in the Donbass region on 10 September. Pro-Russian officials said that Ukrainian forces opened fire on their positions on 229 occasions employing small arms, grenade launchers, 82 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars and armoured fighting vehicles. Most incidents occurred at Shyroka Balka, Yasynuvata, Sakhanka, Oktyabr, Kominternove, Petrovsky district and Donetsk airport. According to the same sources, pro-Russian forces beat off two Ukrainian army patrols attempting to break through the demarcation line at Shyroka Balka. The assault was preceded by a two-hour diversive action on Yasynuvata using small arms, automatic grenade launchers and 82 mm mortars. According to authorities from the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic, the Ukrainian army broke the ceasefire once, when the village of Kalinove came under 82 mm mortar fire from Ukrainian positions at Novozvanivka.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 9 occasions, including on 5 occasions in the region of Mariupol and on 4 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city. Shyrokyne, east of Mariupol, came under 122 mm self-propelled artillery fire, while 82 mm mortar volleys landed in nearby Vodiane. Around Donetsk city and Horlivka, rebel forces opened fire on Avdiivka and Luhanske with small arms, heavy machine guns and rocket launchers.

12 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 37 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including 8 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, 20 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and 9 occasions in Luhansk Oblast. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon no casualties in the Donbass region on 11 September. Separatist sources recorded 108 attacks on their positions over the past 24 hours. The Ukrainian military used small arms, rocket launchers, 82 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars and armoured fighting vehicles. The main targets were Vasiliivka, Spartak, Oleksandrivka, Dokuchaievsk, Sakhanka, Leninske and Petrovsky district. Two Ukrainian violations of the ceasefire were reported by authorities of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic. According to them, Ukrainian forces from Popasna fired automatic grenade launchers at pro-Russian positions near Kalinove, while militiamen from the "Right Sector" party shelled the pro-Russian checkpoint outside Stanitsya Luhanska.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 17 occasions. Pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles engaged Ukrainian redoubts at Novozvanivka, in the northern front, where the rebels also fired small arms, heavy machine guns and rocket launchers. Novooleksandrivka was the target of the same weapons. The strongholds of Avdiivka and Verkhnyotoretske, around Donetsk city, and Zaitseve and Luhanske, north of Horlivka, came under small arms, heavy machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire. Luhanske was also struck by 120 mm mortar volleys. Ukrainian troops at Maryinka were harassed with small arms and heavy machine gun fire. In the region of Mariupol, Ukrainian positions at Vodiane and Hranitne also came under automatic fire from small arms and heavy machine guns.

13 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 35 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on 9 occasions in the region of Mariupol, on 10 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, and on 16 occasions in Luhansk region. Six ceasefire violations were registered during the first 6 hours of 13 September. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that three Ukrainian servicemen were killed, fifteen wounded, and one remained unaccounted for in action on 12 September (later on the missing serviceman was accounted ). One of the servicemen died as a consequence of heavy shelling at Chermalyk, north of Mariupol, when the village was hit by 122 mm self-propelled artillery. Two others were killed in the course of an engagement with rebel scouts in Stanitsya Luhanska region, at Artema village, on the right bank of the Siverskyi Donets. Five others were wounded and another became missing during the clash. Pro-Russian authorities recorded 79 Ukrainian attacks on their positions using small arms, rocket launchers, 82 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars and armoured fighting vehicles. The main incidents occurred at Zaitseve, Ozeryanivka, Shyroka Balka, Trudovske, Oleksandrivka and Yasynuvata. The Donetsk News Agency of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic reported that three separatist fighters were killed when Ukrainian "special forces" attempted an assault on a rebel checkpoint at Zaitseve. Earlier, pro-Russian positions there had been engaged by Ukrainian tanks. Sources from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic said that Ukrainian forces broke the ceasefire on two occasions within the republic boundaries, when rebel positions at Kalinove were shelled twice with automatic grenade launchers and 82 mm mortars firing from Popasna.

For the first time since the beginning of the war separatist leader Aleksandr Zakharchenko announced a unilateral cease-fire that would start "at midnight between September 14 and 15". Separatist leader Igor Plotnitsky made a similar announcement. Zakharchenko also claimed that the Ukrainian government had shown a "lack of willingness to solve the problem in a peaceful manner." His pre-recorded ceasefire announcement was broadcast on Russian television a few hours after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko had stated (who would host a meeting with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier the next day ) that he expects the Ukrainian parliament to vote soon on constitutional amendments granting autonomy to eastern Ukraine as envisioned in the Minsk II treaty.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 21 occasions. In the surroundings of Donetsk city, Avdiivka and Verkhnyotoretske became the target of small arms, sniper fire, heavy machine guns and rocket propelled grenades, while heavy shelling from 82 mm and 120 mm mortars was reported at Butivka mining complex. North of Horlivka, rebel troops fired small arms, heavy machine guns and grenade launchers at the Ukrainian strongholds of Zaitseve and Luhanske. Luhanske also came under 82 mm and 120 mm mortar fire. In the region of Mariupol, pro-Russian armoured vehicles, supported by rocket launchers, engaged Ukrainian redoubts at Shyrokyne. In the northern section of the demarcation line, the separatists attacked Novozvanivka and Novooleksandrivka using small arms, machine guns and grenade launchers.

14 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 56 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 37 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, on 14 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on 5 occasions in Luhansk Oblast. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO, Andriy Lysenko, reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and another wounded in action in the Donbass region on 13 September. The casualties were the result of shelling of Zaitseve from 152 mm field guns by pro-Russian troops. Separatist authorities announced that the Ukrainian military opened fire on their troops on 585 occasions. The Ukrainian army used small arms, rocket launchers, 73 mm recoilless antitank guns, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars, armoured fighting vehicles and heavy artillery to attack rebel positions at Ozeryanivka, Zaitseve, Krasny Partizan, Makiivka, Yasynuvata, Spartak, Mineralne, Trudovske, Oleksandrivka, Dokuchaievsk, Nikolaevka, Sakhanka and Petrovsky district. Six civilian residents were injured. The Ukrainian army broke the ceasefire three times within the boundaries of Luhansk People's Republic by firing 120 mm mortar volleys from Novozvanivka on pro-Russian forces at Kalinove.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 26 occasions in the areas around Donetsk city and Horlivka, the rebels fired small arms, heavy machine guns and grenade launchers at the Ukrainian strongholds of Avdiivka, Verkhnyotoretske, Zaitseve, Pisky and Luhanske, while 82 mm and 120 mm mortar volleys landed in Leninske, Avdiivka, Pisky, Zaitseve and Luhanske. In the region of Mariupo, separatist troops opened up on Ukrainian forces at Vodiane with small arms and rocket launchers. Shyrokyne, meanwhile, came under 82 mm mortar fire. In the northern section of the demarcation line, rebel forces harassed Ukrainian trops at Novozvanivka with small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. The attacks, as almost all of the previous, were classified by the Ukrainian side as criminal acts, according to the Criminal law of Ukraine (par. 258, a terrorist act).

At a press conference in Kiev German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated "We came with a promise from Moscow that effective [September 15] there will be a truce that will last at least a week."

15 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 50 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on 20 occasions in the region of Mariupol, on 26 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, and on four occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that three Ukrainian servicemen were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 14 September. Pro-Russian officials reported that Ukrainian forces opened fire on their positions on 518 occasions using small arms, rocket launchers, 82 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars, armoured fighting vehicles and tanks. The Ukrainian army targeted Zaitseve, Yasynuvata, Spartak, Makiivka, Donetskiy, Dokuchaievsk, Sakhanka, Leninske, Kominternove and Petrovsky district. Luhansk People's Republic authorities claimed that Ukrainian forces carried a bomb attack on their border checkpoint in the area of Stanitsya Luhanska. The improvised explosive device was made of a 152 mm artillery shell. No casualties were reported.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 7 occasions. The separatists opened fire with small arms and heavy machine guns on Avdiivka, Maryinka and Novozvanivka. There were no incidents involving heavy weapons.

The German and French foreign ministers visited Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine. According to the report published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights the documented death toll has risen to 9,640.

16 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 30 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 12 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, on 16 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on 2 occasions in Luhansk Oblast. The rebels used only infantry weapons like machine guns and rocket launchers. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO, Andriy Lysenko, reported at noon that three Ukrainian servicemen were wounded and one was contused in action in the Donbass region on 15 September. Donetsk People's Republic officials reported the death of four of their soldiers and injuries in seven civilian residents over the past week.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 14 occasions. In the surroundings of Donetsk city and Horlivka, the separatists engaged Ukrainian troops at Avdiivka, Toretske and Butivka mining complex with rocket propelled grenades. Small arms and heavy machine gun fire was also reported at Avdiivka, Maryinka and Zaitseve. In the region of Mariupol, Ukrainian forces at Shyrokyne, Novotroitske and Talakivka were harassed with small arms and heavy machine gun fire. In the northern section of the demarcation line, Novoaleksandrivka came under small arms fire.

17 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 30 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on 10 occasions in the region of Mariupol, on 16 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, and on 4 occasions in Luhansk region. The rebels used only infantry weapons like machine guns and rocket launchers. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and six others were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 16 September. Two civilians were also killed in Avdiivka. One of the six wounded soldiers died of wounds later in a hospital. Pro-Russian sources reported that Ukrainian forces opened fire 53 times on their positions. The Ukrainian military employed small arms, grenade launchers, 82 mm and 120 mm mortars. The Ukrainian army engaged rebel redoubts at Yasynuvata, Zaitseve, Horlivka, Sakhanka, Petrovsky district and Gagarin mining complex. Sources from the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic reported that Ukrainian troops broke the ceasefire on eight occasions over the past week by firing small arms, heavy machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, 82 mm mortars and 120 mm mortars. Olga Kobtseva, chief negotiator of the Luhansk People's Republic for the release of prisoners, announced the transfer of two detainees accused of sabotage in exchange for four civilians arrested by Ukrainian authorities. This was the first prisoners' exchange in eight months.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 13 occasions. The main flashpoint was the industrial area of Avdiivka, west of Donetsk city, where Ukrainian redoubts were engaged with small arms, heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. Nearby Verkhnyotoretske and Maryinka came under heavy machine gun fire. Pavlopil, Talakivka and Shyrokyne, in the region of Mariupol, were the target of small arms and heavy machine gun fire.

18 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 26 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 12 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city and on 14 occasions in the region of Mariupol. The rebels made use of banned heavy weapons; 120 mm mortar volleys landed in Avdiivka, while 82 mm mortars and antiaircraft guns were fired at Nyzhne Lozove, in the area of Horlivka. Pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles engaged Ukrainian redoubts at Talakivka, east of Mariupol. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon no casualties in action in the Donbass region on 17 September. Eduard Basurin, Donetsk People's Republic deputy defence minister, said that Ukrainian forces attacked pro-Russian positions on 90 occasions using small arms, rocket launchers, 82 mm mortars and armoured fighting vehicles. The targets were Yasynuvata, Spartak, Zaitseve, Horlivka, Shyroka Balka, Zaryanove and Petrovsky district. Basurin also reported that two Ukrainian BTR 80 armoured personnel carriers were beaten off during an assault attempt on rebel entrenchments. Sources from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic claimed that Ukrainian troops broke the ceasefire within the republic boundaries on two occasions, when Lozove and Nyzhne Lozove came under small arms and 82 mm mortar fire.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 6 occasions. The industrial area of Avdiivka was once again the target of small arms, heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. Maryinka came under small arms, sniper and machine gun fire. Pavlopil, north of Mariupol, was the target of the same kind of weapons.

19 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 18 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on nine occasions in the region of Mariupol, on six occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, and on 3 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in action in the Donbass region on 18 September. According to pro-Russian officials, Ukrainian troops opened fire on separatist forces on 47 occasions with rocket launchers and light weapons. The main incidents took place at Yasynuvata, Horlivka, Zaitseve and Petrovsky district. No violations of the ceasefire were reported within the boundaries of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 10 occasions. Shyrokyne and Pavlopil, in the region of Mariupol, came under small arms, heavy machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire. Ukrainian troops at Avdiivka and Verkhnyotoretske, west of Donetsk city, were attacked with small arms, heavy machine guns and rocket launchers. In the northern front, rebel forces engaged Ukrainian outposts at Novooleksandrivka with small arms fire.

According to the head physician of the Dnipropetrovsk regional hospital, Mechnikov's intensive care unit of the hospital is full of wounded soldiers.

20 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 22 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 10 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, on eight occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on 4 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that three Ukrainian servicemen were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 19 September. The casualties occurred in the region of Avdiivka, where two servicemen were injured by explosion of a booby trap, the third received a gunshot wound. Eduard Basurin, Donetsk People's Republic deputy defence minister, said that Ukrainian forces attacked pro-Russian positions on 53 occasions using small arms, grenade launchers, 82 mm mortars and armoured fighting vehicles. The Ukrainian military attacked Horlivka, Zaitseve, Zheleznaya Balka and Petrovsky district. No violations of the truce were reported by the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on five occasions. Pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles engaged Ukrainian forces at Zaitseve and Luhanske, in the area of Horlivka. Zaitseve was also the target of small arms, rocket launchers and 120 mm mortars. West of Donetsk city, the rebels fired small arms, heavy machine guns and rocket propelled grenades on Ukrainian redoubts at Maryinka. To the south, in the region of Mariupol, Starohnativka was attacked by pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles supported by small arms, heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. Ukrainian troops at nearby Pavlopil also came under the fire of light infantry weapons and rocket launchers.

21 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 13 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on 8 occasions in the region of Mariupol and on 5 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city. Pro-Russian officials reported 46 Ukrainian violations of the ceasefire. The Ukrainian military fired upon Zaitseve, Yasynuvata, Oleksandrivka, Staromyhailivka and Petrovsky district with rocket launchers and 82 mm mortars. No Ukrainian attacks were reported inside the boundaries of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO, Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, reported at noon no casualties in the Donbass region on 20 September.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 8 occasions. In the surroundings of Donetsk city, the rebels engaged Ukrainian redoubts at Avdiivka and Maryinka with small arms, heavy machine guns and rocket launchers. North of Horlivka, 120 mm mortar volleys landed in Zaitseve. Starohnativka, in the region of Mariupol, came under light weapons and rocket propelled grenade fire. Small arms fire was reported in Novooleksandrivka, in the northern front.

The contact group in Minsk agreed to replace the current demarcation line with three security zones around Stanytsia Luhanska, Luhanske and Petrovske.

22 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 14 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 5 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, on eight occasions in the region of Mariupol, and once in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO, Andriy Lysenko, reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was injured by explosion of a booby trap in the Donbass region on 21 September. Eduard Basurin, Donetsk People's Republic deputy defence minister, reported that Ukrainian forces opened fire on 61 occasions on pro-Russian positions using small arms, rocket launchers and mortars. The main targets were Zaitseve, Oleksandrivka, Zhabicheve, Yasynuvata, Vasylivka, Dokuchaievsk and Petrovsky district. One pro-Russian soldier was wounded in action. Officials from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic recorded no ceasefire violations within the republic's borders.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on five occasions. In the surroundings of Donetsk city and Horlivka, the Ukrainian strongholds of Avdiivka and Zaitseve were the target of small arms and rocket launchers. Avdiivka came also under 82 mm mortar fire. In the region of Mariupol, small arms fire was reported at Taramchuk and Starohnativka. Hostile snipers harassed Ukrainian troops around Taramchuk.

The United States House of Representatives has backed legislation that calls for supplying Ukraine with lethal weaponry in its fight against Russia and separatists in the eastern Donbas region.

23 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 21 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on 10 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, on seven occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on four occasions in Luhansk region. Avdiivka and Novoselivka, around Donetsk city, came under 82 mm mortar fire, while Ukrainian entrenchments at Novozvanivka and Novooleksandrivka, in the northern section of the demarcation line, were engaged by pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that no Ukrainian servicemen were killed in the Donbass region on 22 September, one Ukrainian soldier was wounded by a pro-Russian sniper near Taramchuk, Marinka Raion of Donetsk Oblast. Pro-Russian authorities recorded 424 violations of the ceasefire by Ukrainian forces over the past week. According to officials from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, the Ukrainian military broke the ceasefire within the boundaries of the republic on three occasions, when Kalinove was attacked from Popasna, Novozvanivka and Novooleksandrivka with small arms, automatic grenade launchers, 82 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars and 122 mm self-propelled artillery.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm rebel forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 11 occasions. Around Donetsk city, pro-Russian forces attacked Ukrainian redoubts at Avdiivka with Zu-23-2 antiaircraft guns. Avdiivka, along with Verkhnyotoretske and Novoselivka, was also the target of small arms fire. Ukrainian troops at Maryinka came under small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire. In the region of Mariupol, Ukrainian forces at Pavlopil, Starohnativka and Talakivka were fired at from small arms, snipers and rocket launchers. In the northern front, Novooleksandrivka and Novozvanivka were shelled from Zu-23-2 antiaircraft guns and 82 mm mortars.

24 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 28 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 13 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, on 11 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on four occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and six others were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 23 September. Pro-Russian officials reported that Ukrainian forces opened fire on 87 occasions on their positions. The Ukrainian military used small arms, 82 mm mortars and armoured fighting vehicles. The targets were Yasinuvata, Zaitseve, Horlivka and Petrovsky district. In the case of Horlivka, pro-Russian forces were engaged by armoured fighting vehicles and mortars from Maiorsk. Authorities from the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic reported one violation of the ceasefire by Ukrainian troops. the incident took place when rebel positions around Knyaz Igor memorial came under small arms fire from Stanitsya Luhanska.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 11 occasions. In the surroundings of Donetsk city, rebel forces opened fire on Avdiivka with small arms, heavy machine guns and rocket launchers, while 82 mm mortar volleys landed in Pisky. Maryinka became the target of rocket propelled grenades. In the region of Mariupol, Novotroitske and Taramchuk came under small arms and heavy machine gun fire. In the northern section of the demarcation line, Novozvanivka was attacked with rocket launchers. A male civilian was shot and wounded in his home yard in Avdiivka at around 1:00 pm.

25 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 29 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on 12 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, on 12 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on 5 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was wounded in action in the Donbass region on 24 September. Separatist officials denounced that Ukrainian troops opened fire on 130 occasions on their positions. The Ukrainian military used small arms, rocket launchers 82 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars and armoured fighting vehicles. Sources from the Donetsk People's Republic also reported a 122 mm artillery attack on Donetsk airport. Other locations who came under Ukrainian fire were Zaitseve, Ozeryanivka, Yasinuvata, Mineralne, Oleksandrivka and Petrovsky district. Inside the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, Ukrainian forces from Stanitsya Luhanska opened small arms fire for the second consecutive day at pro-Russian positions around Knyaz Igor memorial. In the same area, Luhansk People's Republic militias claimed that a Ukrainian drone was brought down and captured near Devaltseve on its way to carry out an airstrike on Luhansk city, the republic's capital.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 7 occasions. Rebel troops attacked the Ukrainian stronghold of Avdiivka, west of Donetsk city, with small arms, heavy machine guns and grenade launchers. Ukrainian troops at nearby Marinka came under small arms fire. The same kind of weapons were fired at Pavlopil, in the region of Mariupol. In the northern section of the demarcation line, harassing fire was reported at Novozvanivka, while Ukrainian entrenchments at Popasna were the target of antitank guided missiles.

26 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 14 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 5 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, on 3 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on 6 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that two Ukrainian servicemen were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 25 September. The casualties occurred in Avdiivka. Eduard Basurin, Donetsk People's Republic deputy defence minister, reported that Ukrainian forces opened fire on 131 occasions on pro-Russian troops using small arms, rocket launchers, 82 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars and tanks. The targets were Zaitseve, Yasinuvata, Krasny Partizan, Spartak, Zhabicheve, Oleksandrivka, Dokuchaievsk and a rebel-controlled checkpoint near Maiorsk. Pro-Russian positions at Yasinuvata were engaged by Ukrainian tanks. There were no Ukrainian violations of the ceasefire in the territory of the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 13 occasions. In the region of Mariupol, pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles engaged Ukrainian redoubts at Starohnativka. The latter, along with the village of Pavlopil, was also the target of small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades. in the surroundings of Donetsk city and Horlivka, Ukrainian troops received small arms and antitank rocket fire at Avdiivka, Verkhnyotoretske and Zaitseve. Sniper teams fired on Ukrainian forces at Maryinka. Novozvanivka, in the northern front, came once again under small arms fire. Later in the night, pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles, supported by 82 mm and 120 mm mortars, attacked the Ukrainian strongholds of Zaitseve and Nyzhne Lozove, north of Horlivka.

27 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 40 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on 12 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, on 18 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on 10 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that three Ukrainian servicemen were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 26 September. Pro-Russian authorities reported that Ukrainian troops opened fire on 46 occasions on their positions. The Ukrainian forces used small arms, rocket launchers, 82 mm mortars and 120 mm mortars on Zaitseve, Yasinuvata, Oleksandrivka, Dokuchaievsk, Novolaspa, Petrovsky district and the rebel checkpoint near Maiorsk. Sources from the self-styled Luhansk People's Republic recorded two Ukrainian attacks within the republic boundaries, when pro-Russian positions at Knyaz Igor memorial became the target of under-barrel and automatic grenade launchers firing from Stanitsya Luhanska.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 15 occasions. In the region of Mariupol, pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles shelled Talakivka, which also became the target of small arms fire. The rebels also used small arms to harass Ukrainian troops at Vodiane. In the outskirts of Donetsk city, Avdiivka was fired at from small arms, snipers, heavy machine guns and rocket launchers. Harassing fire from small arms was also reported at Maryinka. In the northern section of the demarcation line, Novozvanivka and Novooleksandrivka came under small arms fire.

28 September
The Ukrainian military reported that pro-Russian forces opened fire on their positions in the Donbass region on 35 occasions over the past 24 hours, including 23 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, 6 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and 6 occasions in Luhansk region. No Ukrainian casualties were reported. According to Donetsk People's Republic authorities, Ukrainian troops opened fire on 204 occasions on pro-Russian positions. The Ukrainian military employed small arms, rocket launchers, 82 mm mortars, 120 mm mortars, armoured fighting vehicles and tanks to attack Yasinuvata, Spartak, Krutaya Balka, Sehnalne, Sakhanka, Oleksandrivka, Zaitseve, Shyroka Balka, Krasny Partizan, Dokuchaievsk and Petrovsky district. In the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, Ukrainian armoured fighting vehicles from Stanitsya Luhanska engaged pro-Russian positions at Knyaz Igor Memorial, supported by small arms fire and rocket propelled grenades.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm separatist troops had broken the ceasefire on 14 occasions. In the region of Donetsk, pro-Russian armoured fighting vehicles opened fire on Ukrainian positions near Novhorodske, which also became the target of antiaircraft artillery firing in direct mode. Avdiivka, Maryinka and Verkhnetoretske came under small arms, heavy machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire. Hostile snipers were active at Maryinka. The rebels also shelled Avdiivka from 82 mm mortars. in the region of Mariupol, pro-Russian forces fired small arms, heavy machine guns and rocket launchers at Ukrainian redoubts around Talakivka, Vodiane, Starohnativka and Shyrokyne. Sniper fire was also reported at Shyrokyne. In the northern section of the demarcation line, Ukrainian troops at Novozvanivka and Novooleksandrivka received harassing fire from small arms and heavy machine guns.

29 September
The ATO HQ reported in the morning that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 25 occasions on Ukrainian troops the previous day, including on 8 occasions in the surroundings of Donetsk city, on 8 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on 9 occasions in Luhansk region, where pro-Russian armoured vehicles shelled Ukrainian positions at Novozvanivka and Novooleksandrivka. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and two others were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 28 September. Donetsk People's Republic officials said that Ukrainian forces opened fire on pro-Russian positions on 123 occasions. The main targets were Zaitseve, Horlivka, Yasinuvata, Spartak, Oleksandrivka, Dokuchaievsk, Kominternove, Petrovsky district and Maiorsk checkpoint. For the second consecutive day, Ukrainian tanks engaged pro-Russian redoubts at Yasinuvata, which also became the target of 82 mm and 120 mm mortar fire. Mortar volleys also landed in Oleksandrivka and Petrovsky, while small arms, rocket launchers and armoured fighting vehicles were used elsewhere. Authorities from the self-styled Luhansk People's republic reported that Ukrainian troops broke the ceasefire inside the territory of the republic on two occasions, when Ukrainian armoured fighting vehicles from Stanitsya Luhanska, supported by small arms fire, attacked separatist positions at Igor Knyaz memorial. The same sources said that their troops began the withdrawal from the security areas around Stanytsia Luhanska and Zolote, where they removed observation posts and minefields.

According to the information published by the ATO HQ on their Facebook page in the evening, as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian forces had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 11 occasions. In the region of Mariupol, Ukrainian troops at Shyrokyne received harassing fire from small arms. In the outskirts of Donetsk, the Ukrainian strongholds of Avdiivka and Verkhnyotoretske became the target of small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire. In the northern section of the demarcation line, small arms and heavy machine gun fire was reported at Novozvanivka and Popasna.

30 September
The spokesman of the Ukrainian operational headquarters reported in the morning, that pro-Russian troops had opened fire on 33 occasions on Ukrainian positions the previous day, including on 11 occasions in the outskirts of Donetsk city, on 10 occasions in the region of Mariupol, and on 12 occasions in Luhansk region. The spokesman of the Presidential Administration on issues related to ATO reported at noon that three Ukrainian servicemen were wounded in action in the Donbass region on 29 September. The casualties occurred north of Donetsk city, at Verkhnyotoretske. During the first nine hours of 30 September nine violations of ceasefire by pro-Russian troops were registered by Ukrainian military; the fire was returned on several occasions. Pro-Russian officials from the self-styled Donetsk People's republic claimed that Ukrainian troops broke the truce on 863 occasions over the past week. Authorities from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic said that Ukrainian forces broke the ceasefire within the republic boundaries on three occasions. Ukrainian armoured fighting vehicles from Novoselivka shelled the settlement of Kalinove-Borshchevate, which also became the target of small arms, automatic grenade launchers and 120 mm mortars. Meanwhile, Vesela Hora was struck by 120 mm mortar volleys fired from Troitske. Armoured fighting vehicles from Novozvanivka engaged pro-Russian redoubts at Kalinove supported by 120 mm mortar fire.

The press-centre of the ATO HQ reported in the evening that as of 6:00 pm pro-Russian troops had opened fire on Ukrainian positions on 16 occasions. Ukrainian troops at Avdiivka, Maryinka, Kamyanka and Verkhnyotoretske, around Donetsk city, were engaged with small arms, heavy machine guns and automatic grenade launchers. The same kind of weapons were used by the rebels against Ukrainian positions at Zaitseve, north of Horlivka. In the region of Mariupol, Ukrainian troops at Pavlopil, Shyrokyne and Starohnativka came under small arms fire. In the northern front, Ukrainian forces at Novozvanivka and Novooleksandrivka received small arms and heavy machine gun fire. Sniper fire was also reported at Novooleksandrivka.