Clashes kill 5 in Ukraine

AFP, KIEV: Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels on Tuesday reported the deaths of five people in clashes in the east that raged despite a new EU push to end one of Europe's bloodiest conflicts in decades.
A spokesman for the army in Kiev said four servicemen were killed and 12 injured in mortar fire exchanges across the eastern separatist province of Donetsk.
"The situation is getting worse," Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told a daily press briefing. "The rebels' attacks have intensified."
Pro-Russian militia commander Eduard Basurin told AFP that Ukrainian shells had killed one civilian and wounded another 12 in the rebels' de facto capital of Donetsk and their nearby stronghold of Gorlivka.
The continuing violence brings to nearly 6,900 the number of people killed since Ukraine's industrial east was overrun by pro-Kremlin gunmen and what Kiev believes are Russian troops.
Moscow denies sparking the uprising in reprisal for the February 2014 unseating of a Russian-backed president by a pro-Western leadership that is seeking future membership in the European Union and possibly NATO.
But Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in an address marking 24 years of post-Soviet independence on Monday that 9,000 Russian servicemen were among the 40,000 fighters of the separatist force.

Clashes kill 5 in Ukraine

AFP, KIEV: Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels on Tuesday reported the deaths of five people in clashes in the east that raged despite a new EU push to end one of Europes bloodiest conflicts in decades. A spokesman for the army in Kiev said four servicemen were killed and 12 injured in mortar fire exchanges across the eastern separatist province of Donetsk. The situation is getting worse, Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told a daily press briefing. The rebels attacks have intensified. Pro-Russian militia commander Eduard Basurin told AFP that Ukrainian shells had killed one civilian and wounded another 12 in the rebels de facto capital of Donetsk and their nearby stronghold of Gorlivka. The continuing violence brings to nearly 6,900 the number of people killed since Ukraines industrial east was overrun by pro-Kremlin gunmen and what Kiev believes are Russian troops. Moscow denies sparking the uprising in reprisal for the February 2014 unseating of a Russian-backed president by a pro-Western leadership that is seeking future membership in the European Union and possibly NATO. But Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in an address marking 24 years of post-Soviet independence on Monday that 9,000 Russian servicemen were among the 40,000 fighters of the separatist force.