7 Ukrainian soldiers killed in shelling

Shells fired by pro-Russians have hit an armored personnel carrier near eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk airport, killing at least seven Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko made the announcement on Monday.

“Seven [Ukrainians] were killed late last night not far from Donetsk airport,” Lysenko said.

The incident was the deadliest attack against Ukrainian soldiers since a ceasefire was reached between pro-Russian militants and the Ukrainian military on September 5.

Overnight, at least three civilians were also killed after fighting broke out between Ukraine government soldiers and pro-Russian forces in eastern Donetsk.

On September 28, clashes broke out between the two sides when the Ukrainian soldiers were reportedly surrounded inside the airport by pro-Russians who had been driven out of the strategic facility back in May.

Since the five-month conflict in eastern Ukraine officially came to an end on September 5, both sides have been accusing one another of violating the ceasefire pact.

Ukraine’s mainly Russian-speaking regions in the east have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russia forces and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations to silence the pro-Russians in mid-April.

Violence intensified in May after the two flashpoint regions of Donetsk and Lugansk held local referendums in which their residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Ukraine.

Fighting between Ukrainian military forces and pro-Russia groups has so far left at least 3,500 people dead.

SZH/NN/HRB