Ukrainian officials say eight soldiers have been killed and 16 wounded from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning, in a sign of intensifying violence between government forces and pro-Russia rebels.
Three Ukrainian soldiers were killed by shelling and five others died in a land mine explosion in the Luhansk area, according to the National Security and Defense Council. The death toll released Wednesday was the highest one-day toll in more than a month.
Rebels were using heavy artillery and attacks were most intense near the frontline towns of Svitlodarsk and Horlivka and the western area of the rebel-held city of Donetsk, Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said.
The truce signed by Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany in February in Minsk required both sides to withdraw heavy weapons from the line of fire, but violations are regularly reported on both sides.
The United Nations says more than 6,500 people have died in the Ukrainian conflict since its beginning in April 2014.
