Ukraine in Arabic | Ukraine and Russia blame each other of ceasefire violations
KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ A ceasefire struck between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists was largely holding on Monday in eastern Ukraine, although Kiev accused the rebels of sporadic violations overnight, especially near the port of Mariupol.
The ceasefire, which took effect on Friday evening, is part of a peace plan intended to end a five-month conflict the United Nations' human rights envoy said on Monday had killed more than 3,000 people. It has also caused the sharpest confrontation between Russia and the West since the Cold War.
At the same time warring sides are blaming each other for violations to an increasingly shaky ceasefire.
Although overnight there were no reports of fighting, shelling earlier on Sunday had left one woman dead and several injured.
Rebels also opened up a new coastal front near Mariupol.
In Donetsk locals could have been forgiven for asking "what ceasefire?" as they woke to the sound of fighting on the outskirts of the city.
The streets remained deserted as residents kept below ground not confident enough to trust the truce deal brokered on Friday in the Belarusian capital of Minsk.
Meanwhile on a visit to Kyiv, the secretary general of the Human rights group Amnesty International said Russia can no longer deny its active involvement in the five month long conflict.
Salil Shetty also went on to accuse both Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists of war crimes.
“We are getting reports of different types of violations and also indiscriminate shelling which is happening – and all of these need to be investigated and that’s what we are calling on, because in a war situation, in a conflict situation unless you go into the details you can’t be absolutely certain. But from everything we’ve seen we can be quite sure that both sides can be accused of war crimes at this point,” said Amnesty chief Salil Shetty.
In theory if the ceasefire holds, work is supposed to start on an exchange of prisoners of war and the establishment of a humanitarian corridor for refugees and aid.