Ukraine rebels say ceasefire has broken down

Both sides in civil conflict claim the other is breaking peace agreement

Ukrainian servicemen sit atop of an armored personnel carrier as they patrol in the Donetsk region of Ukraine Photo: ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP

By Tom Parfitt, Moscow

3:16PM BST 17 Sep 2014

A rebel leader in eastern Ukraine has said the ceasefire there is over because of frequent shelling by government forces.

"In my opinion, there is no ceasefire already. Heavy weaponry is being intensely used," said Andrei Purgin, the deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR). "Towns are bombed. Four neighbourhoods of Donetsk are being bombed constantly. Not long ago a shell fell in a bus with people in it."

Ukraine's military denies breaking the ceasefire and in turn accused the rebels of attacking army positions.

Mr Purgin told RIA Novosti: "The situation is grievous. It's different from the situation before the ceasefire. Then, Ukraine was spitting ammunition on us in a big way. Now it's less, but it's enough."

Pro-Russian separatist militia have been fighting Ukrainian government forces in the east of the country since April.