At least five Ukrainian army soldiers died since Easter due to the renewed attacks of Donbas rebels that have the support of the Russian army.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine started to suffer losses in the Donbas again. The Ukrainian command informed the Russian rebels' military operations killed all of them.

The press center of the Joint Forces Operation reported that Ukrainian soldiers were killed on Sunday night and Tuesday afternoon.

Two of them were victims of shelling from the DPR and LPR. Two were blown up by a Russian mine. One died killed by the artillery fire.

Likely, the Russian rebels were the first to open fire and provoked the Ukrainian army to retaliate.

On Tuesday afternoon (local time), a mine destroyed a GAZ-66 truck. The driver was killed.

Besides, on Tuesday night, the command of the Ukrainian operational-tactical group Vostok reported, that in the area of ​​the settlement of Nevelskoye, the Donetsk rebels' mortar fire killed a Ukrainian soldier.


Putin is provoking a new war in Eastern Ukraine

According to the Ukrainian army, the situation has been worsening in the last several hours after Mr. Putin reiterated his commitment to providing security for Russians in Eastern Ukraine.

On Monday morning, the Kremlin said that the safety of Russians is the priority of Mr. Vladimir Putin. His statement includes Russian citizens living in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions occupied by Russian rebels.

Mr. Putin's press spokesman, Mr. Dmitry Peskov, said that the safety of Russians is a personal priority of the president. This rule applies to our citizens living in the Donbas, Peskove emphasised.

Kremlin spokesman did not specify exactly what measures Russia will take, in what appears to be, a new offensive in Eastern Ukraine. But the massive relocation of the Russian army equipment and personnel to the border with Ukraine indicated that Kremlin indeed is preparing for a new war.