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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Ukraine crisis: Donetsk rebels call for ceasefire | Ukraine crisis: Donetsk rebels call for ceasefire |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine's east have called for a ceasefire in Donetsk to avert a "humanitarian catastrophe". | Pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine's east have called for a ceasefire in Donetsk to avert a "humanitarian catastrophe". |
| Newly installed rebel political leader Aleksandr Zakharchenko made the call after other rebels said the army had taken a key city and encircled 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. |
| 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 immediately renewed its offer to send a humanitarian mission, a day after Western powers warned against using such a mission to send troops. |
| An estimated 1,500 people have been killed in the four-month conflict. | An estimated 1,500 people have been killed in the four-month conflict. |
| Pro-Russian rebels stormed cities in the east and took over government buildings in April in a bid for independence. | Pro-Russian rebels stormed cities in the east and took over government buildings in April in a bid for independence. |
| But 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, which connects Donetsk city with Ukraine's Luhansk region, had been "captured". | 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". |
| 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". |
| 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." | 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." |
| Russia, widely accused of supporting the rebels' efforts, also called for an "urgent action to avert an impending humanitarian crisis". | Russia, widely accused of supporting the rebels' efforts, also called for an "urgent action to avert an impending humanitarian crisis". |
| Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the request during a phone call with US counterpart John Kerry, a statement said. | Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the request during a phone call with US counterpart John Kerry, a statement said. |
| "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. | "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. |
| Mr Kerry apparently replied that such efforts were already being made by the Ukrainian government. | Mr Kerry apparently replied that such efforts were already being made by the Ukrainian government. |
| 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, reports from the city of Luhansk, second only to Donetsk in its importance to the rebels, suggest living conditions are dire. | 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. | 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. | Parts of the city were still being bombarded and most shops were shut. |
| 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. | 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 other developments | In other developments |