Ukraine in Arabic | Heavy fighting for Donetsk airport
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ The ceasefire in eastern Ukraine has become increasingly frayed in recent days, leading to the death of a number of civilians and soldiers as well as a Red Cross worker in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk.
"The airport of Donetsk remains the priority target for terrorists. Yesterday they resorted to a few, fortunately unsuccessful, attempts to storm it," military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told journalists.
"Twelve (separatists) were killed during the attacks and that is the biggest single loss among rebels since Sept.5," he added.
Lysenko said that two Ukrainian servicemen were killed during the past 24 hours, but he gave no further details.
On Friday US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on the phone with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to "express his concern about intensifying violence in eastern Ukraine".
"Russia must use its influence with the separatists and end these attacks immediately", state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.Ukrainian officials accused Russian forces on Friday of helping separatists to step up pressure on government troops holding the airport in Donetsk, threatening a fragile ceasefire.
Earlier, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) condemned indiscriminate shelling in east Ukraine after a Red Cross employee was killed.
Swiss citizen Laurent DuPasquier, 38, died when a shell landed near ICRC offices in Donetsk on Thursday.
The latest U.N. estimate is that more than 3,500 people have died in the conflict which erupted after pro-Western leaders took power in Kiev following street protests that chased Moscow-backed president Viktor Yanukovich from power.