Separatist forces in eastern Ukraine claimed to have completely encircled the railway hub of Debaltseve yesterday as both sides tried to maximise their positions before today’s ceasefire talks in Minsk.

Posting a video showing their forces advancing past the bloodied bodies of Ukrainian soldiers, the rebels said they had cut off government forces in the town from a major road.

Kiev military spokesman Anatoliy Matyukhin said that at least seven Ukrainian troops had been killed overnight in the east.

Two civilians were killed and 12 injured in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, which is under constant artillery bombardment.

Pro-Kiev regional police chief Vyacheslav Abroskin claimed yesterday that Kramatorsk, which was thought to be more than 30 miles from the fighting, had been shelled.

Kramatorsk was the site of major clashes until July when pro-Russian forces retreated.

Mr Abroskin blamed the independent Donbass forces for the shelling, but they denied any knowledge of an attack.

The fascist-led Azov battalion claimed yesterday to have captured several villages north-east of the strategic port of Mariupol, pushing the rebels back towards the border with Russia.

However, in a televised news conference rebel spokesman Eduard Basurin insisted that his side had not retreated.

The self-styled Donetsk People’s Republic has announced a call-up of new volunteer recruits in line with leader Alexander Zakharchenko’s pledge to strengthen his forces to 100,000 men.

Military official Arkadiy Fedoseyev said that he wanted “tank drivers, mechanics, technicians, repairmen.”

Representatives of Ukraine, Russia, the anti-fascist resistance and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe met last night to lay the groundwork for today’s summit in the Belorussian capital.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier spoke by phone with both Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin to push for compromises on difficult issues.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin warned the West against sending weapons to Ukraine or putting pressure on Russia, warning that new sanctions or arms deliveries would further destabilise the situation.