UKRAINE-CRISIS/EAST-FIGHTING Fighting continues in east Ukraine ahead of Independence Day

Record ID: 142775

  • Title: UKRAINE-CRISIS/EAST-FIGHTING Fighting continues in east Ukraine ahead of Independence Day
  • Date: 24th August 2015
  • Summary: AVDIIVKA, UKRAINE (AUGUST 23, 2015) (REUTERS) UKRAINIAN SERVICEMEN HOLDING WEAPONRY HIDING BEHIND COVER / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE RUNNING SHOT THROUGH TRENCH / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE / SERVICEMAN TAKING ON BULLET-PROOF JACKET SERVICEMAN HOLDING WEAPON / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE SERVICEMEN FIRING SERVICEMAN LOOKING THROUGH BINOCULAR SERVICEMEN SITTING IN COVER / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE SERVICEMEN LOADING AMMUNITION / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE SERVICEMEN SITTING, THEN DROPPING ON GROUND HIDING FOR COVER SERVICEMAN FIRING (NIGHT SHOT) RUNNING SHOT THROUGH TRENCH / AUDIO OF GUNFIRE / SERVICEMAN FIRING
  • Embargoed: 8th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA7KV0XB76SYMGY5VILE15DX6HE
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Gunfire was heard and Ukrainian soldiers were seen opening fire from trenches near the town of Avdiivka near Donetsk on Sunday (August 23) as fighting continued between the Ukrainian army and pro-Russian rebels in the country's east.
    Both sides regularly blame each other for the ceasefire violations. Kiev military spokesman said on Sunday one Ukrainian soldier was killed and four others were wounded in fighting west of Donetsk.
    A new wave of violence in the east in the recent weeks rekindled concerns a ceasefire deal reached in Minsk in February could be crumbling.
    Ukrainian authorities have mobilised huge numbers of police and interior ministry troops to reinforce security for the weekend and Independence Day itself on Monday (August 24) as a march of soldiers serving on the front line was held in Kiev.
    More than 6,500 people, including hundreds of civilians, have been killed in the conflict. Pro-Russian rebels took up arms in the east after Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014 in response to the overthrow of a pro-Moscow president in Kiev by street protests a month earlier.
    Both sides have withdrawn large numbers of heavy weapons from the conflict zone in line with the Minsk agreement but sporadic clashes still take a steady toll of lives daily.
    Kiev and Western governments, which have imposed sanctions on Russia, say there is irrefutable evidence of Russian involvement in the separatist resistance. Moscow denies it is providing men or arms.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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