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One solider, two civilians killed in east Ukraine

A building burns after artillery fire exchange between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russia fighters in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on July 18, 2015. ©AFP

One soldier and two civilians have been killed in the latest clashes between Ukrainian government soldiers and pro-Russia forces in eastern Ukraine.

The clashes happened Saturday night when artillery shells struck N23 hospital in the volatile Donetsk city.

Eduard Basurin, an official with pro-Russia forces, accused the Ukrainian military of targeting the village of Pisky near the Donetsk airport.

Basurin said government forces had used 152mm artillery guns, which fall within the category of heavy weaponry that was supposed to be withdrawn from the frontline by the warring sides following the ceasefire accord signed in the Belarusian capital of Minsk in February.

A woman assesses the damage to her house as a result of shelling between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russia forces in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on July 19, 2015. ©AFP

Authorities in Kiev accuse the pro-Russia forces of using tanks and other heavy arms banned by the Minsk accord, such as the 152 mm and 122 mm artillery.

Meanwhile, Kiev’s military spokesman, Oleksandr Motuzianyk, said at a Sunday press briefing that the, "situation around Donetsk has significantly deteriorated and fighting in the area around Pisky and Avdiyika is taking place practically 24 hours a day."

The development came as a meeting of the Contact Group, comprising representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), is due to be held in Minsk on July 21.

Luhansk and Donetsk have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russians and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations in April 2014 to silence pro-Russians there.

According to the latest figures released by the United Nations, the crisis in Ukraine has left 6,500 people dead and 16,000 more wounded in the past year.


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