Support The Moscow Times!

One Ukrainian Serviceman Killed as Eastern Attacks Intensify

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko inspects military fortifications near Donetsk.

A Ukrainian serviceman was killed and 21 were wounded in separatist attacks in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian military said on Sunday, as both sides accused the other of intensifying attacks despite a four-month-old cease-fire deal.

The truce brokered by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France in Minsk, Belarus, has stemmed large-scale fighting but skirmishes claim lives almost daily on both sides. International monitors have warned of the threat of a bigger flare-up.

"In the past 24 hours the number of cease-fire violations by illegal military groups has risen," Ukrainian military spokesman Oleksander Motuzyanyk said at a briefing at midday.

Two civilians were wounded in shelling of government-held Avdiyivka, he said, describing attacks on the nearby town of Horlivka, the airport of rebel-held Donetsk and the town of Maryinka as being the most intense.

Senior separatist commander Eduard Basurin said rebels had recorded 185 cease-fire violations from the Ukrainian side in the past 24 hours, including tank fire and shelling by weapons banned under the Minsk agreements, rebel press service DAN reported.

Three rebel fighters and one civilian woman had been wounded, he said.

On Thursday, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said that despite assertions to the contrary, neither side has completed the withdrawal of heavy weapons as agreed in the cease-fire deal.

The Ukrainian military reported on Saturday one of the heaviest deaths tolls for government troops since early June, saying six Ukrainian servicemen had been killed and 14 wounded.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more