The leader of the "DNR" Alexander Zakharchenko announced "escalation" in the Donbass

The leader of the "DNR" Alexander Zakharchenko has announced "escalation" on the contact line in the Donbass. He stated this to journalists in occupied Donetsk today, - the separatist media report.

"I think that there will be an escalation in the near future", — Zakharchenko said, stating that, according to him, the ATO forces are allegedly being strengthened, "they bring ammunition and personnel".

The Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov stated earlier that Russian hybrid forces do not stop the constant attempts to break through the ATO defence to advance towards the Bahmut road with access to strategically important bounds. "But all provocations of Russian hybrid troops are severely stopped by the professional actions of our military", - Turchynov said.

Press centre of the ATO Headquarters reports that illegal military formations shelled Ukrainian positions 18 times in Donbass over the past 24 hours. One Ukrainian soldier was killed, another two were injured.