Ukraine, Separatists Report Rise In Eastern Fighting, One Ukrainian Killed
KIEV, Nov 11 (Reuters) -- Ukraine's military and pro-Russian separatists accused each other on Wednesday of escalating violence in eastern Ukraine in defiance of a ceasefire deal, as Ukraine reported one of its soldiers killed in a direct attack.
The guns have been mostly silent since early September, prompting both sides to extend a pullback of lighter weapons, but an increase in ceasefire violations over the past two weeks has underscored the fragility of the peace process.
Renewed violence would also make it less likely that the European Union lifts sanctions against Russia based on a review before the end of the year, though Russia has repeatedly denied it is backing the rebels in east Ukraine.
"Separatists have been making direct attacks on our positions and this is an escalation of the conflict. This is ... targeted attacks and shelling," Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said by phone.
"The reason might be that there is an upcoming G20 summit and the separatists traditionally complicate the situation on the eve of such meetings," he said.
Earlier the military said separatist rebels had violated the ceasefire 21 times in the past 24 hours, prompting government troops to fire back in response.
One Ukrainian soldier was killed in a rebel attack from small arms and grenade launchers near the frontline village of Hranitne, around 70 kilometres (44 miles) south of separatist-held Donetsk city.
This is the first Ukrainian military death in active combat this month.
Meanwhile separatist officials said Ukrainian troops had fired small arms and mortars, noting particular hotspots near Donetsk airport and around the rebel-held town of Horlivka, rebel news agency DAN reported.
They also accused Ukraine of returning 22 howitzers to the frontline, but Ukraine's Lysenko said government troops had completed the process of withdrawing tanks, artillery and mortars as required by the peace agreement.
Under the ceasefire deal, both sides are meant to have withdrawn most weapons from the frontline as part of a 12-point peace plan designed to end a conflict that has killed over 8,000 people since April 2014.
We assume this is the Interfax report that the The Wall Street Journal's deputy bureau chief is tweeting about:
SIMFEROPOL. Nov 10 (Interfax) -- The Crimean authorities have discussed trade development with the Nicaraguan ambassador to Russia.
"Nicaragua is interesting for us from the viewpoint of developing trade in goods that Nicaragua is famous for: these are, of course, southern fruits, coffee," Georgy Muradov, deputy chairman of the Crimean Council of Ministers and the republic's permanent representative to the Russian president, said at a meeting with Nicaraguan Ambassador Juan Ernesto Vasquez Araya in Simferopol on Tuesday [November 10].
For its part, Nicaragua might be interested in using the peninsula's potential, he said. "When Nicaragua acquires vessels even for a small cabotage, it can bear in mind that cooperation with Crimea in this sphere will be of interest," Muradov said.
The official urged Nicaragua not to worry about financial operations with Crimea, whose Russian status is not acknowledged by the West, because the peninsula already runs "a decent banking system."
For his part, the Nicaraguan ambassador called Russia "a strategic friend, a brother country."
"We have many spheres in which we can cooperate," Araya said.
For example, student exchanges are possible and Nicaragua could supply Crimea with products that are interesting for tourists, he said.
For his part, Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov said that Araya is the first foreign ambassador to have visited Crimea since the 2014 referendum which resulted in the peninsula becoming part of Russia again. "You've opened the breach," Aksyonov said.