Events in Ukraine on 2 April 2015.

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

that have happened in Ukraine today

Border Guards: an RF convoy invaded Ukraine carrying hazardous cargo

The 23rd so-called "humanitarian" convoy has illegally entered into Ukraine without being checked by a Ukrainian interagency group.

"The Russians part unilaterally carried out customs clearance of yet another so-called 'humanitarian' convoy on the morning of April 2," the press service of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine reported on Thursday.

The Ukrainian interagency group was able to only visually check the cargo without inspecting it, as the arrival of the convoy contradicted the international and national legislation and procedures agreed with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the border service announced.

Two columns of the “humanitarian” convoy consisting of 124 trucks crossed into Ukraine through the Donetsk and Matviyiv Kurgan checkpoints between 07.30 and 08.25 on Thursday.

"Russia's twenty-third “humanitarian” convoy contained dangerous substances, namely herbicides (six trucks), as well as non-humanitarian cargo, i.e. a frothier (three trucks) and steel constructions (one truck)," the border service said.

About 300 soldiers from Buryatia arrive in Donetsk

About 300 Russian servicemen assigned to the 5th brigade of the 36th Army of the Eastern Military District of the Russian Military Forces stationed in Ulan-Ude arrived in Donetsk on March 27, an ATO deputy commander, Colonel Valentyn Fedichev, announced as reported by the Donetsk city website 62.ua. 

According to Russian soldiers, they had been officially dismissed from the Russian army for the period of "the mission" in Eastern Ukraine. They will be reinstated in the army services by signing a new contract after their mission is over.

Rebels attack in the Donetsk and Lugansk directions

committing to action heavy artillery

Insurgents continue to attack positions of ATO forces with weapons, which, according to the Minsk agreement, should have been withdrawn from the demarcation line.

They breached the cease-fire 10 times in the period between 6 pm April 1 and midnight, ATO press centre reports.

"The largest number of armed provocations with small arms and grenade launchers was recorded in the Donetsk direction," the headquarters announced. Rebels placed fire on Opytne and Krasnogorivka there.

Also, gunmen carried out attacks on Avdiyivka with 122-mm artillery in the period from 8.30 to 8.50 pm. The same inhabited settlement was shelled by separatists with 120-mm mortars at 10.30 pm.

A stronghold of Ukrainian forces located near Stanyzia Luganska, Lugansk region, was attacked by rebels with grenade launchers around midnight.

No shelling was reported in the Mariupol and Artemivsk directions, the General Staff informed.

Moskal: A bit more peaceful in Lugansk region in the past 24 hours

The military situation across the government-held part of Lugansk region was slightly quieter comparing to previous days; still, the armistice was not observed fully, Head of Lugansk Regional State Administration Gennady Moskal reported on his official page.

According to him hostilities were recorded in several areas, namely fighting between Ukrainian law enforcement units and rebels broke out in Stanyzia Luganska yesterday evening and last night.

No civilians were wounded, and no casualties among Ukrainian servicemen were reported, the governor said.

ATO Headquarters: no casualties in the ATO area in the past 24 hours

No losses were reported in the area of the anti-terrorist operation in the past 24 hours, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council, Andriy Lysenko, reported at a briefing on Thursday.

ATO Headquarters: Rebels move up heavy artillery to the demarcation line

Donetsk rebels secretly reposition heavy artillery to the contact line, a spokesman for the Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council, Andriy Lysenko, reported at a briefing on Thursday.

According to intelligence data, the illegal militia group "PRD" secretly repositions heavy artillery to the demarcation line near the settlements of Maryinka and Krasnogorivka as well as the Donetsk airport," he said.