SHYROKYNE, Ukraine – Fighting raged overnight and in the early hours on Tuesday on the outskirts of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine despite an agreement reached by the Ukrainian and Russian foreign ministers a day earlier.
The yearlong military conflict between Russian-backed rebels and government forces has claimed more than 6,000 lives and left large parts of Ukraine’s once industrial heartland in ruins.
Fighting in the east had largely subsided following a cease-fire deal signed in February but has rekindled in recent days.
Heavy shelling was heard in Donetsk late Monday evening and in the early hours on Tuesday. In the morning, rebel mouthpiece Donetsk News Agency reported one rebel fighter dead and five wounded in the overnight clashes.
Russia and Ukraine agreed in Berlin on Monday to call for the pullback of smaller-calibre weapons from the front lines of the conflict that has claimed more than 6,000 lives.
On the ground, however, even the previous agreement that called for a cease-fire and a withdrawal of large-calibre weaponry appeared to be shaky.
A Russian journalist was injured Tuesday morning when he stepped on a land mine in Shyrokyne during a visit to the village on the Azov Sea that has been the epicenter of recent fighting. The videojournalist who works for the Zvezda television station received first aid at the scene and was then whisked away to the nearest hospital. At one point during the visit the group had to lie on the ground because of an exchange of fire nearby.
Shyrokyne has changed hands repeatedly throughout the conflict.
An Associated Press reporter saw a column of at least 10 infantry combat vehicles moving Tuesday morning from the rebel-occupied area by the Azov Sea to Donetsk.
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Associated Press writer Nataliya Vasilyeva contributed to this report from Moscow.
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