Ukraine says 9 troops injured in clashes in east

Iran Press TV

Tue Mar 10, 2015 1:31PM

Fresh clashes in eastern Ukraine have left nine troops wounded over the past 24 hours, a fresh sign that the fighting in the war-ravaged region has yet to completely die down.

A spokesman for Ukraine's army said Tuesday that the troops were wounded in a special operation zone in eastern regions of the country over the past 24 hours.

"No Ukrainian troops were killed in the past 24 hours. Nine troops were wounded," Andriy Lysenko said in a briefing in Kiev.

Lysenko also accused the pro-Russia forces of violating the shaky ceasefire by firing at the positions of the Ukrainian army.

The report on new clashes between Ukrainian government troops and the pro-Russians comes as the two sides have been trying to reduce the hostilities after an agreement was reached on February 12. The deal, reached between leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany in the Belarusian capital of Minks, called for the two sides to withdraw their heavy weaponry from the frontlines.

However, sporadic clashes have continued and both sides keep accusing each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire in major eastern cities including Donetsk.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko confirmed Monday that pro-Russia forces have withdrawn a "significant" amount of weaponry from the eastern Ukrainian frontlines.

He said, however, that 64 government troops have been killed since the ceasefire went into effect on February 14.

Kiev has also accused the pro-Russia forces of using the truce to amass arms and weaponry in their positions.

Reports on Monday showed that fighting has raged around Donetsk airport. There were also clashes in villages near Mariopol, another flashpoint city, which Kiev fears may become target of a new offensive by the pro-Russians.

According to the estimates of the United Nations, the armed conflict in east Ukraine, which started nearly a year ago, has claimed the lives of more than 6,000 people, while around 1.5 million people have been also forced from their homes.

MS/HSN/SS