Ukraine said that pro-Russian separatist militants had killed one soldier and injured five others on Friday, in what were Ukraine’s first military casualties of 2015.
“In the past 24 hours one Ukrainian serviceman has been killed and another five have been injured because of provocative actions. In general, our servicemen are not giving in to provocations and are not opening fire,” said the military spokesperson Andriy Lysenko.
Despite a ceasefire acknowledged by both sides, Lysenko added that there had been frequent shelling and mortar attacks by separatists in eastern Ukraine.
The deaths come as Ukraine and the separatists exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war last week as part of a 12 point plan to end the escalating conflict, reports Reuters.
Ukrainian government and separatists swap hundreds of prisoners (26 Dec 2014)
“In the past 24 hours one Ukrainian serviceman has been killed and another five have been injured because of provocative actions. In general, our servicemen are not giving in to provocations and are not opening fire,” said the military spokesperson Andriy Lysenko.
Despite a ceasefire acknowledged by both sides, Lysenko added that there had been frequent shelling and mortar attacks by separatists in eastern Ukraine.
The deaths come as Ukraine and the separatists exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war last week as part of a 12 point plan to end the escalating conflict, reports Reuters.
Ukrainian government and separatists swap hundreds of prisoners (26 Dec 2014)