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Ukraine crisis: Rebels say Poroshenko tore up peace Ukraine crisis: Children die in Donetsk shelling
(about 5 hours later)
Pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine have accused President Petro Poroshenko of scrapping a deal aimed at halting months of war. Two teenagers died and four were wounded when an artillery shell hit a school playing field as children played football in eastern Ukraine.
They were responding to Mr Poroshenko's call to cancel partial autonomy granted to two eastern regions as part of a ceasefire agreement. The attack in Donetsk came as both sides in the Ukrainian conflict accused each other of tearing up a peace deal.
The Ukrainian president and Western countries say a rebel vote held in the east on Sunday violated the Minsk deal. A fragile ceasefire has been in place since 5 September, although hundreds of people have been killed since then.
He has ordered reinforcements to key cities in case of a rebel offensive. Fighting erupted in April after pro-Russian separatists seized control in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
More than 4,000 people have died in eastern Ukraine since the conflict began in April and the European OSCE monitoring mission has warned that the "blood-letting" is still going on with numerous incidents of shelling. More than 4,000 people have died in eastern Ukraine since the conflict began and the European OSCE monitoring mission has warned that the "bloodletting" is still going on, with numerous incidents of shelling.
A civilian was reported killed and several others wounded in mortar attacks on Donetsk on Wednesday. Clashes were also heard around Donetsk airport, AFP news agency said, where government forces have been holding out against rebel attack. The shell landed close to Donetsk airport at a school which was rebuilt by one of Ukraine's richest men, steel billionaire Rinat Akhmetov, and reopened last year.
"An artillery shell hit a building of school number 63. At that time children were playing football right in front of the school. They died from shrapnel wounds," a Donetsk rebel spokesman told Russia's Tass news agency.
Shelling intensified on Tuesday night and there were reports earlier on Wednesday of one civilian killed and several others wounded in mortar attacks.
The area around Donetsk airport has seen some of the worst violence in the weeks since the ceasefire was declared. Ukrainian forces have been holding out at the airport despite a siege by the separatists.
Four adults were killed at another school near the airport a month ago, on the day children returned to school after an extended summer break.
Fears of a return to full-scale conflict were raised after the rebels held elections on Sunday in defiance of the government in Kiev and Western countries.
President Petro Poroshenko accused them of tearing up the Minsk peace deal and he said a law granting the rebel-held regions partial autonomy would be scrapped. He has ordered reinforcements to key cities in case of a rebel offensive.
But the separatists hit back on Wednesday, arguing that it was the scrapping of the special status deal that broke the peace agreement.
Although Mr Poroshenko insisted he had not given up on the peace plan, he said Ukraine had to "repel possible attacks" and not allow the "spread of this cancerous tumour".Although Mr Poroshenko insisted he had not given up on the peace plan, he said Ukraine had to "repel possible attacks" and not allow the "spread of this cancerous tumour".
Russia has recognised Sunday's vote which led to separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko, 38, being sworn in as president of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic.Russia has recognised Sunday's vote which led to separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko, 38, being sworn in as president of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic.
Igor Plotnitsky, a 50-year-old ex-Soviet army officer, was declared president in neighbouring Luhansk.Igor Plotnitsky, a 50-year-old ex-Soviet army officer, was declared president in neighbouring Luhansk.
But Ukraine and the EU say the vote should have been held on 7 December and run by the central government in Kiev. Germany said Russia's recognition of Sunday's "extremely questionable" poll was "incomprehensible".But Ukraine and the EU say the vote should have been held on 7 December and run by the central government in Kiev. Germany said Russia's recognition of Sunday's "extremely questionable" poll was "incomprehensible".
In a joint statement on Wednesday, the two self-declared republics said Mr Poroshenko's "unilateral" decision to cancel a law providing their regions with special status "essentially put a line through the Minsk agreement" of 5 September.
There are increasing fears that the lower level of violence since the deal agreed in Belarus may explode once again.
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday that Russian troops had recently been seen moving closer to the border with Ukraine and Moscow was continuing to train the separatists. There have also been reports of troop movements within rebel-held areas.Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday that Russian troops had recently been seen moving closer to the border with Ukraine and Moscow was continuing to train the separatists. There have also been reports of troop movements within rebel-held areas.
However, while the Minsk deal risks unravelling, the first part of an agreement reached last Friday to resume Russian gas supplies to Ukraine has gone through.However, while the Minsk deal risks unravelling, the first part of an agreement reached last Friday to resume Russian gas supplies to Ukraine has gone through.
Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom said it had received $1.54bn (£970m; €1.2bn) from Ukraine's Naftogaz, the first instalment of a $3.1bn payment of debt for gas dating back to late last year. Ukraine's gas supplies were turned off in June in a row over unpaid bills and a sharp increase in gas prices.Russian state-owned gas giant Gazprom said it had received $1.54bn (£970m; €1.2bn) from Ukraine's Naftogaz, the first instalment of a $3.1bn payment of debt for gas dating back to late last year. Ukraine's gas supplies were turned off in June in a row over unpaid bills and a sharp increase in gas prices.
Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula in March, after protesters in Kiev ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych from power, prompting separatists to take over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east.Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula in March, after protesters in Kiev ousted pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych from power, prompting separatists to take over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east.
Are you in the Ukraine? You can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist, please leave a contact number.Are you in the Ukraine? You can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist, please leave a contact number.
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