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Ukraine crisis: Army closes in on Donetsk rebels Ukraine crisis: Donetsk rebels call for ceasefire
(about 1 hour later)
Ukrainian government forces are poised to take a key town in the east, which would divide the last two major pro-Russian rebel groups, reports say. Pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine's east have called for a ceasefire in Donetsk to avert a "humanitarian catastrophe".
A rebel leader said the army had taken Krasnyi Luch, a town between the rebel strongholds of Luhansk and Donetsk. Newly installed rebel political leader Aleksandr Zakharchenko made the call after other rebels said the army had taken a key city and encircled Donetsk.
Another rebel leader later said he would accept a ceasefire to prevent the spread of a "humanitarian catastrophe". Russia immediately renewed its offer to send a humanitarian mission, a day after Western powers warned against using such a mission to send troops.
Russia has renewed a call for an aid mission, a day after the US warned against using a mission to send troops. An estimated 1,500 people have been killed in the four-month conflict.
Some 1,500 people are believed to have died since the conflict began in April, when rebels stormed cities in the east and took over government buildings. Pro-Russian rebels stormed cities in the east and took over government buildings in April in a bid for independence.
The government stepped up operations to retake rebel-held areas following the election of Petro Poroshenko as president in June. But the government stepped up operations to retake rebel-held areas following the election of Petro Poroshenko as president in June.
'Completely encircled''Completely encircled'
Rebel commander Igor Girkin was quoted by Russian media as saying that Krasnyi Luch had been "captured" after Cossacks defending the town "ran away". Rebel commander Igor Girkin was quoted by Russian media as saying that Krasnyi Luch, which connects Donetsk city with Ukraine's Luhansk region, had been "captured".
A small detachment of rebels, he said, was still holding out in the town, which connects the city of Donetsk with Ukraine's Luhansk region on the Russian border.
Girkin, who is also known as Strelkov, said his men in the Donetsk region were "completely encircled".Girkin, who is also known as Strelkov, said his men in the Donetsk region were "completely encircled".
Ukrainian security spokesman Andriy Lysenko said he could not confirm that government forces had taken Krasnyi Luch. Mr Zakharchenko later said in a statement on a rebel website: "We are prepared to stop firing to bar the spread of the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe."
Aleksandr Zakharchenko, the newly installed political leader of the rebels in Donetsk, was later quoted as saying he would accept a ceasefire. Russia, widely accused of supporting the rebels' efforts, also called for an "urgent action to avert an impending humanitarian crisis".
"We are prepared to stop firing to bar the spread of the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe," Zakharchenko said in a statement on a rebel website. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the request during a phone call with US counterpart John Kerry, a statement said.
Russia, which is widely accused of supporting the rebels' efforts, also called for an "urgent action to avert an impending humanitarian crisis". "The minister urged support for Russia's initiative to deploy a humanitarian mission in the south-east in co-ordination with the relevant international structures," the foreign ministry statement said.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had made the request during a phone call with US counterpart John Kerry. Mr Kerry apparently replied that such efforts were already being made by the Ukrainian government.
"The minister urged support for Russia's initiative to deploy a humanitarian mission in the south-east in co-ordination with the relevant international structures," the statement said.
On Friday, the UK and US had warned Russia not to use a humanitarian mission as a pretext for sending its forces to help the rebels.On Friday, the UK and US had warned Russia not to use a humanitarian mission as a pretext for sending its forces to help the rebels.
Meanwhile, in the city of Luhansk, second only to Donetsk in its importance to the rebels, there are fears of a humanitarian disaster. Meanwhile, reports from the city of Luhansk, second only to Donetsk in its importance to the rebels, suggest living conditions are dire.
The city council reported on its website (in Russian) on Saturday that the city of 425,000 people had been without electricity and power for a week. Mobile phones and land lines were not working, it said. The city council reported on its website (in Russian) on Saturday that the city of 425,000 people had been without electricity and power for a week.
Parts of the city were still being bombarded and most shops were shut, although bakeries and some chemist's shops remained opened, it added, quoting residents. Parts of the city were still being bombarded and most shops were shut.
Western government accuse Russia or arming the rebels, a claim the government in Moscow denies. The Ukrainian government, which has not commented on rebel claims about the situation in the east, says 13 soldiers and one civilian were killed in fighting on Friday.
In the latest violence, the Ukrainian government says 13 soldiers were killed on Friday.
A civilian was killed in Donetsk on Saturday when a shell hit a street in the city's Kirovskyy district, the city's official authorities reported. Shells also hit the Petrovskyy district, they added.
In other developmentsIn other developments
Are you in Donetsk? Have you witnessed fighting in the area? Please send us your eyewitness accounts using the form below. Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Donetsk' in the heading, and include your contact details.Are you in Donetsk? Have you witnessed fighting in the area? Please send us your eyewitness accounts using the form below. Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Donetsk' in the heading, and include your contact details.
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