Ukraine Says Three Soldiers Killed In East
By RFE/RL
Ukraine's military said on December 18 that three of its soldiers were killed amid multiple cease-fire violations by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine in the last 24 hours.
According to the Defense Ministry's statement, the separatists violated the cease-fire 14 times using mortars and heavy artillery.
Separatists claimed on December 18 that Ukraine's armed forces violated the cease-fire 17 times using assault rifles, grenade launchers, mortars, and artillery.
Fighting between Kyiv's forces and the Russia-backed separatists who hold parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions has killed more than 10,300 people since April 2014.
Several cease-fire deals announced as part of the Minsk accords -- September 2014 and February 2015 pacts aimed to resolve the conflict -- have failed to hold.
The latest cease-fire was agreed on August 22 in a phone call between the leaders of Germany, France, Russia, and Ukraine.
With reporting by Interfax
This ends our live blogging for December 17. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.