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Ukraine conflict: Soldiers die in eastern fighting Ukraine conflict: Nato scorns Putin 'foreign legion' remarks
(about 5 hours later)
Seven Ukrainian soldiers have been killed fighting Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country over the past 24 hours, the military says. Nato's chief has dismissed as "nonsense" a claim by Russia's Vladimir Putin that the Ukrainian army operates as a "foreign legion" for the alliance.
Ukraine said the troops were killed by shelling, mostly in the Luhansk region, that also left 24 soldiers injured. Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also called on Russia to stop providing military support to pro-Russian rebels.
Violence in eastern Ukraine is at its worst level for months with a series of deadly attacks over the past week. Mr Putin said Ukraine's military was operating against Ukrainian national interests by seeking to contain Russia.
On Saturday, a series of rocket attacks left 30 dead and many more injured in the Black Sea city of Mariupol. Violence in eastern Ukraine is at its worst level for months, with a series of deadly attacks over the past week.
The heaviest fighting overnight into Monday was around the town of Debaltseve, Ukrainian military spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov said. The military said early on Monday that seven Ukrainian soldiers had been killed fighting Russian-backed separatists in 24 hours.
Rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko said on Saturday that separatist forces intended to surround the government-held town. It said the heaviest fighting was around the town of Debaltseve.
He also initially said his troops had begun an offensive to retake the strategically important city of Mariupol, but later backtracked and blamed Ukrainian forces for the deaths there. On Saturday, a series of rocket attacks left 30 people dead and many more injured in the Black Sea city of Mariupol.
OSCE observers said analysis of a crater in Mariupol showed that the rockets were fired from the direction of rebel-held territory. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said intercepted radio and telephone conversations proved separatists were behind the attacks. 'Economic blackmail'
More than 5,000 people have been killed in fighting since the rebels seized a large swathe of Donetsk and Luhansk regions last April, according to UN estimates. More than a million people have been displaced. Nato and Ukrainian officials were meeting in Brussels to discuss the recent surge in fighting.
A ceasefire agreed as part of a peace deal signed in Minsk in September has been repeatedly violated by both sides. "The statement that there is a Nato legion in Ukraine is nonsense," Mr Stoltenberg said. "There is no Nato legion, the foreign forces in Ukraine are Russian."
The Nato chief also urged Russia to stop providing backing to rebels, saying hundreds of pieces of advanced weaponry including tanks, heavy artillery and armoured vehicles had crossed the border.
He was responding to comments that Mr Putin made to students in St Petersburg.
"In effect, it is no longer an army but a foreign legion, in this case Nato's foreign legion, which does not of course pursue the aims of Ukraine's national interests," said the Russian president.
Those aims were "connected with achieving the geopolitical objectives of containing Russia", he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Kiev government had tried "to derail the peace process... again and again".
There have been warnings from the West that existing sanctions against Russia could be stepped up in response to the latest violence. EU foreign ministers are due to hold an extraordinary meeting on Ukraine on Thursday.
Mr Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, accused the West of "economic blackmail".
'Rapid deterioration'
During ongoing violence around Donetsk, nearly 500 miners were briefly trapped after shelling hit an electricity substation and cut power to their mine.
Emergency workers said all the miners had been rescued.
Rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko said on Saturday that separatist forces intended to surround the government-held Debaltseve, where the military said the violence had been most intense overnight into Monday.
Mr Zakharchenko also initially said his troops had begun an offensive to retake the strategically important city of Mariupol, but later backtracked and blamed Ukrainian forces for the deaths there.
OSCE observers said analysis of a crater in Mariupol indicated that the rockets had been fired from rebel-held territory. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said intercepted radio and telephone conversations proved separatists were behind the attacks.
More than 5,000 people have been killed in fighting since the rebels seized swathes of Donetsk and Luhansk regions last April, according to UN estimates. More than a million people have been displaced.
A ceasefire agreed as part of a peace deal signed in September has been repeatedly violated by both sides.
Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of arming the rebels and sending its troops into Ukrainian territory.Ukraine and the West have accused Russia of arming the rebels and sending its troops into Ukrainian territory.
Russia has denied directly arming the separatists, and blames Ukraine for the surge in fighting.Russia has denied directly arming the separatists, and blames Ukraine for the surge in fighting.
On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Kiev had tried "to derail the peace process... again and again" and warned that attempts to use force "to suppress the south-east [of Ukraine]" would "lead nowhere".
The OSCE said its permanent council would meet in Vienna on Monday "in light of the rapid deterioration of the situation in eastern Ukraine".The OSCE said its permanent council would meet in Vienna on Monday "in light of the rapid deterioration of the situation in eastern Ukraine".
Ukraine: the human costUkraine: the human cost
Source: UN report of 9 January for refugee figures; news reports for casualty estimatesSource: UN report of 9 January for refugee figures; news reports for casualty estimates