You're reading: Ukrainian service member killed in Donbas

Ukrainian soldier Artem Mazur was killed by a sniper in Donbas, the Joint Force Operation (JFO) headquarters reported on Aug. 17.

Senior Soldier Mazur was a deputy combat vehicle leader with the 28th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, drafted in February 2017. He is survived by his wife, according to the Pryyutiv village council of Oleksandriia district of Kirovohrad region.

According to the JFO, Russian-led militants repeatedly opened fire near the Zolote-4 and Prychepylivka villages in Luhansk oblast, as well as Shyrokyno, Novomyhaylivka and Vodyane villages in Donetsk oblast. They blasted Ukrainian positions with heavy anti-tank weapons, grenade launchers, heavy machine guns and small arms. Ukrainian troops returned fire.

On Aug. 17, another Ukrainian soldier was injured by militant fire and is recovering in a medical facility.

According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, Russian-backed forces in Donbas are making life more dangerous for the civilian population.