Ukraine military says 5 soldiers died in recent clashes

KIEV, Ukraine (AA) – At least five Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and four others wounded since yesterday in fresh attacks by pro-Russian rebels, a Kiev military spokesman said on Sunday.

In a news conference, Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said: “Unfortunately, five Ukrainian soldiers have lost their lives and four others have been injured, so far.”

On Saturday, Ukraine’s military said Russian-backed rebels attacked 39 times, with at least 23 of these assaults taking place in the Mariupol region of the southeast. Nine out of these attacks involved the use of heavy armor, Kiev claims.

The conflict between the two countries in eastern Ukraine has gone on since fighting broke out in April 2014.

A cease-fire deal signed in Minsk last year has had little effect on the ground.

An escalation of clashes in April led to concerns on the overall future of the Minsk agreement.

More than 9,300 people have been killed in the last two years in eastern Ukraine, according to the UN.