Pro-Russian Rebels End Cease-Fire Agreement With Ukraine

The 6-week cease fire between Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists has been terminated by the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, rebel leaders said on Monday.



The Ukraine government and the separatist rebels had agreed to a cease-fire on September 5 in the Belarussian capital of Minsk after five months of conflict in eastern Ukraine.



But on Monday the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Alexander Zakharchenko announced via his social media account that his group considered the cease fire at an end.



"The cease fire - which exists only as a formality - we can say that ended today after Donetsk was attacked with rockets", he said in a tweet. 



A  rocket hit a chemical factory in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on Monday, the city council said. The pro-Russian separatists claimed that the attack was made by Ukraine, Kiev rejected responsibility for the assault and said they conformed to the ceasefire.



Clashes in eastern Ukraine



At least four Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in fighting with pro-Russian separatists over the last 24 hours, Ukraine's National Security spokesperson said on Monday.



The rebels continued their attacks against the Ukrainian army in the eastern Ukrainian town of Smeloe, in the Luhansk region, spokesperson Andrey Lysenko said.



"Most of the terrorists, with the their military supplies, and vehicles, were subject to counterattacks by the Ukrainian army, and the terrorists were forced to retreat," Lysenko said.



Another 14 pro-Russian separatists were forced to retreat to Russian territory when the army opened fire against them.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Kiev