The aggravation of the situation in Donbas is connected with the introduction of an additional contingent of the Russian army into the occupied territory, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces control the situation, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov has said.

"You have information that there are various conflict situations between different criminal groups that are part of the occupation administration in the occupied territories of the east of our country. In connection with this exacerbation, the Russian military leadership increased the military contingent that is on this territory. There are problematic issues, including those military clashes that we know about today ... This is a very difficult problem for us," Turchynov told reporters on Friday, commenting on loses of Ukrainian soldiers during clashes in eastern Ukraine over the past day.

He stressed that after the Russian Federation increased its military contingent in Donbas, it became clear "that there will be exacerbations, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces control the situation."

Turchynov expressed confidence that the Ukrainian Armed Forces "would not only repulse the provocations of Russian troops, but would also significantly improve their positions."

As reported, over the past day in the ATO zone as a result of a clash on the outskirts of Krymske, five Ukrainian soldiers were killed, four more were injured.