At least seven Ukrainian soldiers and five civilians have been killed in the latest fighting in the east of the country, including in battleground town Debaltseve, Kiev and rebels said today.
"Seven soldiers were killed and 23 wounded in fighting and attacks on their positions," military spokesman Vladislav Seleznev told journalists in Kiev.
Three civilians were killed and seven wounded by artillery fire on railway hub Debaltseve over the last 24 hours, local Kiev-loyalist police said, as rebels try to encircle the strategic town.
At least two civilians were killed in rebel stronghold Donetsk, local separatist authorities said, with an AFP correspondent reporting ongoing Grad rocket and artillery fire during the night and today morning.
The leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany hope to meet in Minsk tomorrow to hammer out a peace deal to end the 10-month conflict that has killed over 5,400 people.
