Eight killed in separatist attacks in eastern Ukraine
At least eight people, including five Ukrainian soldiers, have been killed in the last 24 hours in pro-Russian separatist attacks in the eastern Ukraine, according to Andrey Lysenko, spokesperson for Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
Lysenko said at a press conference Tuesday that pro-Russian separatists were continuing their attacks on the Donetsk airport as well as on the east Ukrainian cities of Debaltseve, Starohnativka and Shchastya.
The violence has continued despite a cease-fire being declared in eastern Ukraine on September 5 in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.
Ukraine was doing all it could to make sure the pro-Russian separatists comply with the terms of the cease-fire, said Lysenko.
Ukraine’s east has been the scene of constant fighting between government forces and pro-Russian separatists who declared their intention to break away from Kyiv in Donetsk and Lugansk after Crimea was annexed by Moscow following a referendum in March.