The Ukrainian military is competing with Donetsk and Lugansk human rights activists who exploded after Russia seized Crimea in 2014.
Two Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 10 others wounded in the east after the fighting broke out, the military said on Sunday.
Over the past 24 years, Russian separatists have been shooting in Ukrainian territories using heavy artillery, grenades launching drones, the military said. Most of the attacks took place east of Donetsk, he said.
“As a result of the enemy’s fire, two members of the Armed Forces were killed,” said Ukrainian troops. “There are no victims among the local people.”
Ukrainian troops compete with human rights activists in the Donetsk and Lugansk region after the Russian bombing of Crimea in 2014.
Kyiv says at least 52 Ukrainian military personnel have been killed since this year, compared to a total of 50 troops last year.
The separatists say they have lost more than 30 soldiers since the beginning of the year.
Ukraine and its western allies have blamed Russia for sending troops and weapons to help the separatists, which Moscow refuses.
‘Damaged’
On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was possible that “a whole war” with Russia could take place.
Dmitry Peskov, who speaks on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has described this as “opocalyptic”.
Russia and Belarus unveiled a 200,000-person weapon on Friday, one of the country’s largest in recent years.
In April, Russia mobilized nearly 100,000 troops across the Ukrainian border, threatening to escalate violence. Moscow later announced its withdrawal.