Ukraine ceasefire threatened by attacks

A fragile ceasefire between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists came under renewed pressure yesterday with the Ukrainian military reporting a serviceman had been killed and seven others wounded in rebel attacks.

The casualties, which follow the death on Saturday of another serviceman in shelling in the south east, occurred as the Ukrainian military and the rebels accused each other of violating a peace deal signed in Minsk, Belarus, in February.

The latest violence has revived concerns that the deal, brokered by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France, could collapse, even though international monitors say violations were relatively limited.