You're reading: Aljazeera: Clashes kill six Ukraine soldiers in spike of violence

Aljazeera: Clashes kill six Ukraine soldiers in spike of violence

Published July 21, 2017 at 9:08 am

A man of Ukrainian forces takes position not far from Debaltseve, Donetsk region on February 14, 2015. Fighting has raged on in Ukraine, throwing doubts on a ceasefire deal due to take effect over the weekend, with the US saying Russia is still deploying heavy arms and Kyiv warning that shelling of civilians had intensified.

Photo by AFP

Clashes with Russian-backed separatists killed six Ukrainian soldiers on July 20, officials said, in the bloodiest surge in fighting along the volatile frontline in recent months.

The violence flared several days after a top separatist leader announced a plan to form a new “state” that Kyiv warned could put a long-stalled peace plan further in jeopardy.