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THE ceasefire between Kiev and separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine hung in tatters yesterday as shelling rang out around the cities of Donetsk and Mariupol.
A woman died in hospital yesterday morning following overnight shelling in Mariupol after the ceasefire nominally came into effect on Friday afternoon.
Pro-Kiev Mariupol city authorities blamed rebels for the violence, while the rebels said Kiev troops launched artillery strikes against their positions.
Rebels in Donetsk said four civilians had been killed by Kievan shelling on Friday night.
Kiev national security council spokesman Vladimir Polevoy claimed yesterday that “Ukrainian military fully comply with the terms of the ceasefire.”
But the Donetsk People’s Republic, which was declared in the eastern region after February’s fascist-backed coup in Kiev, warned yesterday that it would return fire if attacked.
“Ukrainian forces continue to fire at our positions,” said the rebel defence ministry.
“It looks like [Ukrainian President Petro] Poroshenko is not in full control of his troops. Kiev wants to use the ceasefire to regroup and launch an attack. We are ready for it.
“If the provocations continue, I will have to give an order to return fire.”
The ceasefire was signed in Minsk, Belarus, on Friday by Ukraine, Russia, the separatists and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
A 12-point plan published by the OSCE yesterday commits both sides to withdraw all heavy weaponry, release all prisoners and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to devastated cities in eastern Ukraine.
Kiev must adopt a new law allowing for a special status for the Lugansk and Donetsk regions, with significant decentralisation of power there, according to the agreement.
The law should also allow for early local elections in the two belligerent regions, with Kiev expected to continue an “inclusive nationwide dialogue” thereafter.
And the roadmap also suggests that there should be an amnesty for the resistance fighters in the east through “a law prohibiting prosecution or punishment of people in relation to the events that took place in individual areas of Donetsk and Lugansk.”
At the same time, it says that all “illegal military formations, military equipment, as well as militants and mercenaries” have to be withdrawn from Ukraine.
