You're reading: Five Ukrainian servicemen killed, 10 more wounded near Luhansk on July 4

In the past 24 hours five servicemen were killed in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) in southeastern Ukraine, Ukrainian presidential spokesman for ATO Oleksandr Motuzianik announced.

“In a day five of our military men were killed, ten – wounded. They died in an incident near the village of Donetsky in Luhansk region. In the course of performing a mission five military men were killed by a mortar explosion, three more were wounded. The wounded received medical assistance, their lives are out of danger,” he said at a July 4 briefing in Kyiv.

He admitted, though, that the intensity of militant fire is declining.

Motuzianik said that 11 instances of the use of 120mm mortars and three instances of the use of 122mm mortars against the Ukrainian military were registered in a day. In Luhansk region it was restless in Schastia, Stanytsia Luhanska, Krymske and Novotoshkivka.

In Donetsk region Horlivka, Avdiyivka, Opytne and Mariynka remain hotspots.

“Not a single instance of fire was registered in a day in Shyrokyne. After the withdrawal of militants monitors of OSCE SMM and JCCC are working in the community. By now virtually all residential buildings and infrastructure facilities in Shyrokyne have been destroyed, There are many mines and booby traps. After the territory is cleared of mines a joint observation post of JCCC will be set up there,” Motuzianik said.