Last Updated: Monday, May 4, 2015 - 15:38
Two Ukrainian servicemen killed in eastern Ukraine: Kiev military | Zee News
Kiev: Two Ukrainian servicemen were killed and five wounded in continued clashes with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine despite a two-month ceasefire, Kiev`s military said on Monday.
The two were killed when their armoured personnel carrier was blown up by a land mine in the Luhansk region near the border with Russia, military spokesman Oleksander Motuzyanyk told a televised briefing.
Reuters
Last Updated: Monday, May 4, 2015 - 21:46
Two killed, five wounded in Ukraine clashes: Kiev | Zee News
Kiev: Two soldiers were killed and another five were wounded in the past 24 hours in Ukraine`s separatist-held east,
Kiev said Monday, as both sides traded blame over the increasing number of ceasefire violations.
Two servicemen died and three more were wounded after their armoured vehicle hit a mine in the Lugansk region, said military spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk.
Two more soldiers were wounded in clashes near the village of Shyrokyne near the strategic port of Mariupol, the last major city in the conflict zone controlled by Kiev, he said.
Officials in charge of the anti-terrorist operation accused pro-Moscow militants of violating a fragile ceasefire 95 times on Sunday.
"This is nearly the same level as before the conclusion of Minsk agreements," they said in a statement, adding that rebels were provoking Ukranian forces by using heavy artillery.
Rebels for their part pointed the finger at Ukrainian troops, saying Kiev violated the truce 70 times over the past 24 hours by using tanks, grenade and mortar launchers.
In February, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel helped broker a peace deal for Ukraine in a last-ditch effort to stop months of fighting between pro-Russian separatists and Kiev forces.
The conflict has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced a million, according to the United Nations.
OSCE condemned the violation of the cease-fire on Sunday and "expressed in particular serious concern over the use of proscribed heavy weapons as well as the increased fighting in and around Donetsk and Shyrokyne."
AFP
Terrorists intensify provocations | Міністерство оборони України
According to the press centre of the ‘anti-terror’ operation (ATO) HQ, the Russian-backed terrorists intensified provocations yesterday. From 06:00 p.m. to 00:00, bandits performed 45 attacks. Thus, the ceasefire was violated 95 times. The enemy used heavy weapons.
In Donetsk oblast, bandits shelled Ukrainian positions near Avdiyvka, Vodyane, Opytne, Shyrokyne and Kamyanka with 122 mm artillery.
Militants attacked Pisky and Avdiyvka with 120 mm mortars, and Avdiyvka with tank. At the midnight, terrorists attacked Ukrainian positions near Bakhmutovka with 152 mm artillery.
The enemy’s attack near Novoselivka ended in its failure.
Ukrainian servicemen saw two flights of the enemy’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Lugansk oblast.
Mariupol residents against withdrawal of troops from Shyrokyne. Photos| Ukrinform
KYIV, May 4 /Ukrinform/.
Several thousand residents of the Ukrainian-controlled city of Mariupol have staged a rally in protest against the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the village of Shyrokyne.
As Mariupol's official website reported, protesting locals weared red WW II remembrance poppies, which also symbolize they were confident of victory in the current war.
The protesters were holding Ukrainian national flags and slogans calling to peace. At the beginning of their rally, all those present traditionally sang the national anthem and prayed for Ukraine.
However, they demanded that the Ukrainian troops should not be withdrawn from the neighboring village of Shyrokyne behind which pro-Russian militants' positions are located.
The rally was attended by Ukrainian MP from the Samopomich faction, first deputy chairman of the parliament's committee for national security and defense Semen Semenchenko.
Leaders of Mariupol public organizations and civil volunteers addressed those who gathered for the rally and called against the demilitarization of Shyrokyne. Civil volunteers also urged locals to get united, start digging trenches and supply food to Ukrainian troops.
