The battle for Donetsk continues as the Ukrainian army conducts artillery strikes on the outskirts of the city

In the morning, the Ukrainian Army has conducted artillery strikes on Donetsk and Gorlovka as Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels resume fighting across the east of the country.

“From 08:35 to 08:50, shelling by the armed forces of Ukraine from the settlements of Shumy and Mayorsk in the direction of Gorlovka was recorded,” a report from the representative office of the Donetsk People’s Republic said.

The sound of artillery has been heard in the outskirts of Donetsk and clouds of black smoke hung over its suburbs.

Kiev said pro-Russian rebels had built up their forces across separatist-held zones since the deal and both sides accused each other of killing civilians.

The Ukrainian army also conducted artillery strikes on Trudovskaya village located in western Donetsk with heavy machine guns and eleven grenades.

The former chairman of the Donetsk regional state administration Pavel Zhebrivsky told local media, “The Armed Forces occupied territories near Gorlovka. This territory was not controlled by anyone. The militants came there and fired at our troops.”

“Is it possible to take Gorlovka? I am convinced that three days is enough for our Armed Forces to take. There is no exacerbation on one side only – therefore that if Russia were to deploy its troops, if we were to know clearly in today’s training and arming of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that NATO would provide us with guarantees of Russia’s non-interference with the liberation of the territories, with a maximum of two weeks, with minimal casualties to de-occupy these territories. Rhee. All the so-called “DNR” and “FSC”. And we can surpass Croatian script when six days had reclaimed the occupied territories “, Zhebrivsky said.