Clashes in Ukraine put peace deal at risk

Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists yesterday fought their first serious battles in months and Ukraine’s defence minister said an attempt by rebels to take the eastern town of Maryinka had been thwarted.

The Ukrainian military said the Russian-backed rebels had tried to advance using tanks and up to 1,000 fighters west of the main rebel stronghold of Donetsk, in the most significant escalation of the conflict in about three months and in defiance of a ceasefire deal.

The separatists denied their forces had launched an assault on government-held Maryinka, a town which had a pre-conflict population of about 9,900 and lies 15km (9 miles) west of Donetsk.