Here are some more details from our news desk on Ukrainian fatalities over the past 24 hours:
A Ukrainian military spokesman says seven servicemen have been killed and 13 wounded in fighting with pro-Russian separatists in the past 24 hours.
The casualties were the highest daily losses for the Ukrainian army since mid-July, as violence continues to test a six-month-old cease-fire deal.
The fresh casualty figures come after U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke about the recent upsurge in violence in eastern Ukraine despite the cease-fire agreement reached in Minsk back in February.
In the call to Merkel on August 26, Obama noted that Kyiv was implementing its obligations under the Minsk agreements, and reiterated that Russia must do the same, according to a White House statement.
The statement said the recent violence had resulted from increased attacks by combined Russian-separatist forces across a line of contact established under the Minsk agreements.
Earlier on August 26, representatives from Ukraine and the rebels agreed to strive for an end to all truce violations from September 1.
(AFP, Reuters)
Here's an MH17 update from our news desk:
The Dutch Safety Board has announced that the final report into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine last year will be published on October 13.
All 298 people on board the plane, travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, were killed in the crash last year.
Two thirds of the victims were Dutch, and the country is leading the judicial and air safety investigations into the crash.
In a preliminary report last year, the Dutch Safety Board blamed the crash on "high energy objects" striking the aircraft.
Western governments have said they believe it was downed by a ground-to-air missile fired in error by Moscow-backed separatists.
Russia contests that claim, and has variously attributed the crash to an unidentified Ukrainian fighter aircraft and a Ukrainian-launched anti-aircraft missile.
Last month, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution to establish an international tribunal to find and try those responsible for the Boeing 777's downing.
(Reuters, AFP)