Ukraine’s government forces and pro-Russian
separatists have accused one another of launching a
major new attack in the country’s east.

The rebel forces began a “large-scale offensive
against Ukrainian positions” close to their stronghold
of Donetsk overnight on Wednesday, using about a
dozen tanks and up to a thousand troops, the
Ukrainian army general staff said in a statement.

It said government troops had fought back against
the attack using heavy artillery.

Fighting has intensified in recent weeks around key
hotspots on the frontline in eastern Ukraine despite a
truce brokered by the West in February.

Vladimir Kononov, the chief of the separatist forces,
told Russia’s Interfax news agency that at least 15
people, including civilians, were killed around
Donetsk.

“The Ukrainian side has carried out a provocation
and started shelling our positions all along the front,”
Kononov was quoted as saying.