The Ukrainian military and pro-Russian separatists blamed each other for shelling in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk on Saturday, according to reports.
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Rebels said the heavy shelling – the first such attack on central districts of the city since a February cease-fire agreement – had killed one civilian, destroyed buildings, and started several fires.
Global observers have raised concern over “a serious increase in tension” in Donetsk.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has ruled out the draft constitutional changes stipulating a special self-governance regime for the certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions with the aim to threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Independent experts echo that accusation.
Weapons with a calibre of over 100mm were supposed to have been removed from the battle field under the ceasefire agreement signed in the Belarus capital Minsk in February that aimed to end a conflict that has killed more than 6,500 people since April 2014. This followed Russia’s annexation of the Crimea peninsula.
Ukrainian military officials said they intercepted radio communications indicating the separatists planned to bomb the city, but rebel leaders have balked at the suggestion they would shell themselves.
Separatist military commander Eduard Basurin announced late Saturday that the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had given orders that the proscribed heavy arms be withdrawn from the front line areas “as soon as possible”, in compliance with the Minsk deal.
“I have no explanation”. The Ukrainian side says we shelled ourselves. “Do you believe we can shell ourselves?” he added.
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Alexander Hug, deputy chief monitor for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, told the BBC the shelling resulted from an exchange of fire between rebel forces in Donetsk and Ukrainian military positions to the west.
