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Kiev forces shell militia positions in east Ukraine seven times — DPR

Seven ceasefire violations by the Ukrainian armed forces have been recorded over the past 24 hours, the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic’s Defense Ministry says

© AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, Archive

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Luhansk militia report two ceasefire violations over 24 hours

MOSCOW, September 9. /TASS/. Ukrainian government forces have violated the current ceasefire in the country’s east, shelling territory of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic seven times over the last 24 hours, local defense ministry officials said on Wednesday.

"Seven ceasefire violations by the Ukrainian armed forces have been recorded over the past 24 hours," the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic’s Defense Ministry said, according to a Donetsk News Agency report.

Fire was reported in the settlement of Spartak, north of Donetsk, the ministry said.

Kiev and representatives of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk agreed in late August to strive for an end to all truce violations from September 1, the day that the new school year was to begin.

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Comprehensive ceasefires have been declared twice over the past year, but sporadic clashes between the two forces continued. Both sides have blamed the other for the violations.

A February 12 peace deal struck in Minsk, Belarus, by leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France envisaged a ceasefire between Ukrainian forces and people’s militias starting from February 15.

This was to be followed by withdrawal of heavy weapons from the line of military engagement by at least 15 kilometres (9 miles), prisoner release and agreement for international observers to monitor the truce.

Based on September’s stillborn Minsk peace protocol, the deal also laid out a road map for a lasting settlement in Ukraine, including local elections and constitutional reform to give the war-torn eastern regions more autonomy.

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Ukraine crisis Eastern Ukraine

Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict

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