Six Ukrainian soldiers killed in rebel-held east

Six Ukrainian troops were killed in two separate incidents in the troubled separatist-held east on Sunday as isolated clashes continue to violate a fragile ceasefire to end the year-long war, officials said.

“Unfortunately, six Ukrainian soldiers have been killed today,” army spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told AFP. Four soldiers died when their vehicle came under missile fire while crossing a bridge near the separatist bastion of Lugansk.

Two others were killed when an anti-tank mine exploded a few kilometres outside the government-held southeastern port city of Mariupol, the spokesman added.