AFP, AVDIIVKA, Ukraine: A surge in clashes between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels despite a supposed truce left at six people dead on Monday in Ukraine’s war-scarred east.
The overall death toll for the past two days rose to 11 after the bloodiest outburst of violence since Ukraine and its foes agreed an “indefinite” ceasefire in December.
“Since Sunday, there have been continuing clashes and heavy attacks on our positions,” Ukraine’s 72nd army brigade officer told AFP.
The military in Kiev said two of its soldiers had died overnight. An AFP reporter in the town of Avdiivka near the de facto insurgent capital of Donetsk saw Ukrainian soldiers capture three rebels. Two of them later died of their wounds.Electricity has been off since Sunday and water supplies are sporadic amid the shelling and gunfire.