Ukraine

Separatists, government forces clash in eastern Ukraine

By Victoria Butenko and Denis Lapin

Heavy artillery fire was reported around Donetsk city in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, in what observers described as some of the worst fighting in the months since a shaky ceasefire was declared.

The Ukrainian General Command media office said that separatists fired heavy artillery from Donetsk city toward Mariinka early Wednesday. Mariinka has been controlled by Ukrainian government forces and sits on a strategically vital western highway to the city's west, where checkpoints mark the end of separatist-controlled territory.

The General Command said 200 separatist militants attacked Ukrainian positions and there was an exchange of fire for six hours. It denied reports that 25 Ukrainian soldiers were wounded or that their positions were surrounded.

Eduard Basurin, a spokesman for the separatist Donetsk People's Republic, confirmed there were clashes in Mariinka and that the fighting began because of "provocations" by Ukrainian forces. He added that Ukrainian forces shelled the Petrovsky and Kirovsky districts of Donetsk city overnight.

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Residents of Donetsk city, who did not want to be named for security reasons, said that they could hear outgoing and incoming shelling loudest in the western district of Petrovsky and northwestern district of Kirovsky. Social media reports from residents also suggested street fighting in the town of Mariinka.

A European diplomat, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the issue, said that early reports did suggest a fresh offensive by the separatists toward Mariinka, using heavy weapons including Grad rockets. The diplomat added there were also overnight reports of heavy shelling of Donetsk city itself, which is held by the separatists.

"It will take a while to verify," the diplomat said, "but if this is the case, it would be a major, major ceasefire violation."