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| Ukraine crisis: Poroshenko says peace deal in danger | Ukraine crisis: Poroshenko says peace deal in danger |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ukraine's president has warned that a deal to end the war in the east is in "great danger" after heavy fighting ahead of Saturday night's ceasefire. | |
| Petro Poroshenko also accused Russia of "significantly increasing" its offensive despite the peace agreement reached in Minsk on Thursday. | |
| Meanwhile, the US said it was very concerned by reports of heavy weapons coming across the border from Russia. | Meanwhile, the US said it was very concerned by reports of heavy weapons coming across the border from Russia. |
| Shelling was heard in the rebel-held city of Donetsk early on Saturday. | |
| Fierce battles are also said to be continuing around Debaltseve, a strategic government-held town between rebel-held areas. | |
| More than a dozen civilians are said to have died in shelling in eastern Ukraine on Friday. | |
| It is unclear who was behind the shelling but both the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian rebels in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions accuse each other of targeting residential areas. | It is unclear who was behind the shelling but both the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian rebels in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions accuse each other of targeting residential areas. |
| In New York, the UN Security Council will meet on Sunday in emergency session to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire deal. | |
| The presidents of France, Russia and Ukraine as well as the German chancellor - who together clinched the agreement in the Belarusian capital - are also expected to discuss the issue by phone over the weekend. | |
| 'Escalation expected' | 'Escalation expected' |
| With less than 24 hours until the ceasefire is due to take effect, correspondents say the fighting shows no sign of stopping. | With less than 24 hours until the ceasefire is due to take effect, correspondents say the fighting shows no sign of stopping. |
| Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Petro Mekhed said the rebels wanted to "raise their flag" over Debaltseve and the key port city of Mariupol before the midnight ceasefire (22:00 GMT) kicked in. | Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Petro Mekhed said the rebels wanted to "raise their flag" over Debaltseve and the key port city of Mariupol before the midnight ceasefire (22:00 GMT) kicked in. |
| "Ukraine is expecting an escalation and taking all necessary measures to be able to respond," Mr Mekhed told reporters. | "Ukraine is expecting an escalation and taking all necessary measures to be able to respond," Mr Mekhed told reporters. |
| Rebel shelling killed two people in a cafe in Shchastya, near Luhansk, on Friday as well as a young child near a school in Artemivsk, a town near Debaltseve, according to Kiev-controlled regional authorities. | Rebel shelling killed two people in a cafe in Shchastya, near Luhansk, on Friday as well as a young child near a school in Artemivsk, a town near Debaltseve, according to Kiev-controlled regional authorities. |
| Meanwhile, the rebels said at least six people had died in shelling in the city of Donetsk and town of Horlivka. The rebels accuse government forces of shelling the towns. | Meanwhile, the rebels said at least six people had died in shelling in the city of Donetsk and town of Horlivka. The rebels accuse government forces of shelling the towns. |
| "After what we achieved in Minsk this is not just shelling of Ukrainian civilians and residential neighbourhoods - this is an attack on our Minsk achievements, without any explanations," President Poroshenko said. | "After what we achieved in Minsk this is not just shelling of Ukrainian civilians and residential neighbourhoods - this is an attack on our Minsk achievements, without any explanations," President Poroshenko said. |
| "Unfortunately, after Minsk, Russia's offensive operations have intensified," he said, before adding: "We are still convinced that the Minsk achievements are in a big danger." | "Unfortunately, after Minsk, Russia's offensive operations have intensified," he said, before adding: "We are still convinced that the Minsk achievements are in a big danger." |
| There were also reports of a government offensive near Mariupol, the city between rebel-held eastern areas and the southern Crimea peninsula, which was annexed by Russia last March. | There were also reports of a government offensive near Mariupol, the city between rebel-held eastern areas and the southern Crimea peninsula, which was annexed by Russia last March. |
| 'Serious live fire' | 'Serious live fire' |
| The new clashes have fuelled fears that the peace deal agreed in the Belarusian capital could fall through before the ceasefire starts. | The new clashes have fuelled fears that the peace deal agreed in the Belarusian capital could fall through before the ceasefire starts. |
| The group responsible for monitoring the ceasefire said it remained hopeful despite there being "quite serious live fire" in several areas on Friday. | The group responsible for monitoring the ceasefire said it remained hopeful despite there being "quite serious live fire" in several areas on Friday. |
| "We feel that the Minsk agreements are really the only available roadmap to a sustainable ceasefire," Michael Bociurkiw, spokesman for the OSCE, told the BBC. | "We feel that the Minsk agreements are really the only available roadmap to a sustainable ceasefire," Michael Bociurkiw, spokesman for the OSCE, told the BBC. |
| In another development, a consignment of armoured vehicles from the UK has been delivered to Ukraine, the Ministry of Defence confirmed. | |
| It said they were out-of-service, unarmed vehicles and were not lethal equipment. | |
| The latest Minsk agreement: | The latest Minsk agreement: |
| Pro-Russian rebels signed the peace agreement but key issues remain to be settled, including the situation in Debaltseve. | Pro-Russian rebels signed the peace agreement but key issues remain to be settled, including the situation in Debaltseve. |
| European leaders have warned Russia that it could face additional sanctions if the agreement is not respected. | European leaders have warned Russia that it could face additional sanctions if the agreement is not respected. |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the deal offered "a glimmer of hope", but warned: "It is very important that words are followed by actions." | German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the deal offered "a glimmer of hope", but warned: "It is very important that words are followed by actions." |
| Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of supplying weapons and personnel to the rebels but Russia denies this. | Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of supplying weapons and personnel to the rebels but Russia denies this. |
| Officials say more than 5,400 people have been killed since the conflict began, but the UN believes the actual death toll to be much higher. | Officials say more than 5,400 people have been killed since the conflict began, but the UN believes the actual death toll to be much higher. |
| There has been a dramatic rise in casualties in recent days, with 263 civilians killed in populated areas between 31 January and 5 February. | There has been a dramatic rise in casualties in recent days, with 263 civilians killed in populated areas between 31 January and 5 February. |
| Do you live in eastern Ukraine? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Do you live in eastern Ukraine? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk |
| Please include a contact number if you wish to be contacted by a BBC journalist. | Please include a contact number if you wish to be contacted by a BBC journalist. |
| Have your say | Have your say |