Events in Ukraine on 4 March 2015.

Briefly about the most important today's events in our digest of events

that have happened in Ukraine today

17th Russian convoy invaded Ukraine

A column of trucks of the Russian Emergency Ministry carrying "humanitarian aid" for Donbas has crossed into Ukraine and is heading to Donetsk and Lugansk, Deputy Head of the National Emergency Management Centre of the REM Oleg Voronov announced, as reported by RIA Novosti.

According to him, more than 160 trucks are delivering to Donetsk and Lugansk regions more than 1.8 thousand tons of humanitarian aid, 90% of which is food.

"Customs clearance has been completed in accordance with the established procedure at two border checkpoints, namely "Donetsk" and "Matviyiv Kurgan", and all the trucks have crossed the border," the Russian official asserted.

"One part is going to Donetsk, the other one to Lugansk," Voronov said.

This is already the 17th convoy sent to Donbas by Russia without Ukrainian authorities' permission and without any inspection on the part of Ukraine.

Representatives of the Ukrainian authorities and, in particular, the ATO Headquarters suspect that humanitarian convoys bring in aid for rebels, for gunmen tend to increase shelling upon arrival of each "humanitarian convoy".

Tymchuk: Rebels trying to flush out ATO forces from the settlement of Shyrokine

In the Novoazovsk sector, insurgents are trying to flush out Ukrainian troops from the village of Shyrokine, for which the two sides have been fighting for the past few weeks, the head of the Information Resistance Group, Dmytro Tymchuk, posted in  Facebook on the morning of February 4.

"Also, rebels imitate withdrawing of troops in this sector". In reality, all weapons withdrawn at the day time are returned to positions at night; according to rebels' expression, they have "a ride on the merry-go-round," Tymchuk says.

Suburbs of Donetsk and Schastya attacked at night, a sniper works near Mariupol

The most intense strikes were carried out by rebels near the city of Donetsk at night; the town of Schasya in Lugansk region came under fire; a rebel sniper fired at ATO forces near Lebedynske not far from Mariupol, the ATO press-centre reports.

"In general, the enemy observes provisions of the Minsk agreement implementing the ceasefire deal. Meanwhile, some outlawed units of gunmen continue to fire at our positions from rebel-held territories with machine-guns," the headquarters report.

In the Donetsk direction, the settlements of Opytne, Pisky, and Berezove were shelled in the period of time between 6 p.m. Tuesday and 6 a.m. Wednesday. Avdiivka was shelled at midnight, and the settlement of Vodyane was both mortared and shelled around the same time.

In the Lugansk direction, the village of Schastya was attacked with grenade launchers and machine-guns.

A sniper fired at our troops near the settlement of Lebedynske close to Mariupol.

In addition, an unmanned aerial vehicle was detected above the settlements of Krasnovka and Znamenivka in the past 24 hours.

In general, rebels carried out 12 armed attacks on army positions within the past 24 hours.

Headquarters: ATO forces preparing for the second stage of artillery relocation

Forces of the anti-terrorist operation are preparing for the second stage of withdrawal of materiel from confrontation line in Donbas, ATO press centre reported on the morning of March 4.

As you may know, the ceasefire has not been completely observed by rebels, although the number of shell strikes has decreased since the Minsk agreement was signed on February 15.

General Staff announces losses the Armed Forces of Ukraine suffered when retreating from Debaltseve

19 Ukrainian servicemen were killed, 135 wounded, 9 captured, and the fate of more than 12 soldiers is uncertain after retreating from Debaltseve.

Such precise data were made public by an acting spokesman for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Vladislav Selezniov, at a briefing on Wednesday in Kiev,  Interfax-Ukraine reports.

He also added that bodies of 81 men, who had perished in January and February, had been brought over from rebel-held territories during the last week. 19 bodies have been identified so far.

Lysenko: One service member died, and another one wounded in the ATO area in the past 24 hours

One soldier died and another one was wounded in the past 24 hours in the ATO area, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council, MP Andriy Lysenko, reported at a briefing.

According to him, outlawed units of gunmen are building up materiel in the Artemivsk, Volnovakha, and Mariupol directions.

"In general, the enemy observes provisions of the Minsk agreement. However, some armed gangs continue to fire at our positions mostly with machine-guns", the Colonel said.

Lysenko: Rebels do not allow the OSCE to visit their deployment sites of heavy equipment

Militants do not allow observers of the OSCE mission to visit deployment sites of heavy equipment in the Lugansk direction, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council, MP Andriy Lysenko, reported at a briefing.

According to him, the Ukrainian part has started the second stage of withdrawal of heavy weapons. Rebels only simulate withdrawing, Lysenko said.

"In the Lugansk direction, rebels do not allow OSCE observers to witness the process of relocation of heavy weapons, and do not show sites, where this equipment is allegedly withdrawn to," Lysenko said.

"The Ukrainian part continues to draw off heavy weapons. The second stage has just begun," he said.