Heavy shelling reportedly resumed overnight in Ukraine’s separatist-held Donetsk, raising fears about a return to full-scale conflict.
The bombardment was the worst since the September 5 signing of a shaky ceasefire that halted all-out confrontations across most of the conflict zone but hasn’t stopped shelling in certain hotspots, witnesses said.
Reuters reports:
A two-month-old ceasefire to end a war that has killed 4,000 people has appeared shakier than ever in the past few days, with both sides accusing the other of having violated the terms of the peace plan.
Reuters journalists inside Donetsk, who have been there throughout the fighting, said the shelling sounded more intense than at any time since early October, a period when a playground was struck killing at least 10 people. Sunday’s strikes appeared to come from territory held by both government and rebel forces.
Ukraine’s military said its standoff with the Russian-backed separatists in the east had intensified in the past week, which saw the rebels swear in new leaders after elections the government says violated the terms of the truce pact.