Kiev reports major escalation of E. Ukraine conflict
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E-mail Xinhua, August 28, 2015
Ukrainian military authorities said Thursday that the intense violence has returned to the country's eastern regions in the past day after a week of relative lull, leaving new military and civilian casualties.
"The situation in the area, where government military operation is underway, has drastically escalated. Despite the agreements, the armed groups use weapons, whose caliber exceeds 100 millimeters, along the entire frontline," the press service of the government military operation in eastern regions said in a statement.
According to the statement, independence-seeking insurgents used mortars and heavy artillery in their offensive on the Ukrainian forces in the previous day.
At least seven government servicemen have been killed and 13 others were wounded in the rebel attacks in the last 24 hours, said government military spokesman Olexandr Motuzyanyk.
Besides, two civilians were wounded in the hostilities in Lugansk region and three others -- in Donetsk region, said Kiev-controlled local authorities.
Meanwhile, a senior insurgent commander Eduard Basurin put the number of civilian casualties in the past day at eight, saying one person was killed and seven others were injured in the violence.
He added that on the rebel side, five soldiers were wounded in clashes with government forces, but there were no fatalities.
The casualties came after the meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine crisis in Minsk, capital of Belarus, involving Kiev and rebel representatives, who agreed to start a complete ceasefire in the restive areas starting from Sept. 1.
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