Ukrainian forces attack separatist dominated positions in Donbas region

Ukrainian forces attacked positions of pro-Russian separatists, Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics (LPR and DPR) on Sunday according to a news report. Ukrainian armed forces tried to attack LPR positions in the area of Pionerskoye settlement resulting in the destruction of five residential buildings and civilian casualties, reported Sputnik News Agency.

Meanwhile, DPR accused the Ukrainian forces of firing at critical civilian infrastructure, DPR further accused the Ukrainian forces of 82 ceasefire violations over the last 24 hours according to the news agency.

On Saturday, Russia's Rostov Region had opened 15 border crossings for refugees from the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas. Later on the same day, Denis Pushilin, the head of pro-Russian separatist DPR announced that he had signed a decree on general mobilisation.

The recent tensions are a result of Russia's build-up of around 150,000 troops just over the border from the Donbas region in the east, in Belarus to the north and Crimea to the south, which began in the autumn.

Russia claims the surge of forces has always been for military exercises and that it poses no threat to Ukraine or any other nation, but has refused to offer any other explanation for the biggest build-up of military might in Europe since the Cold War.