KIEV

 The bodies of 23 Ukrainian soldiers killed in the country’s east have been handed over to Ukrainian representatives by officials from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.

The 23 Ukrainian soldiers were killed last summer in clashes near the town of Illovaisk in the country’s east, according to Donetsk People’s Republic’s "defense ministry" representative, Liliya Rodionova.

According to Rodionova, the bodies were handed over unilaterally to volunteers Thursday, as officials from the Ukrainian Defense Ministry did not attend the procedure.

"The Ukrainian side is not handing over our men’s bodies," she said, "We are not exchanging bodies, we are just handing them over to Ukraine."

She also added that the bodies of soldiers killed in intense clashes in Debaltseve would be delivered to the Ukrainian side as well.

At least one Ukrainian was killed Thursday and another wounded in clashes despite a cease-fire signed Feb. 12, said spokesman for the Ukrainian military, Anatoliy Stelmakh.

According to Stelmakh, the cease-fire was violated at least 20 times Thursday.

The cease-fire agreement signed between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists in Minsk includes the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from combat areas, the withdrawal of all foreign-armed formations and release of all hostages and unlawfully detained persons, as well as political reforms and decentralization in the eastern Ukrainian regions.

According to the Ukrainian General Staff, at least 1,541 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 6,226 wounded in "anti-terrorist operations" in the east.

The UN high commissioner for human rights has stated that more than 5,400 people have been killed in eastern Ukraine since mid-April last year in the ongoing conflict.