One Government Soldier Reported Killed In Eastern Ukraine

Ukraine says one of its soldiers has been killed in clashes in the country's east.

The Defense Ministry says Russia-backed separatists used grenade launchers and assault rifles in two attacks on July 17, killing one Ukrainian soldier.

The ministry said earlier on July 17 that the separatists violated the cease-fire 19 times during the previous 24 hours, injuring one Ukrainian soldier.

Meanwhile, the separatists claimed that Ukrainian government forces violated the cease-fire seven times, wounding a civilian.

Since April 2014, more than 10,300 people have been killed in fighting between Kyiv's forces and the separatists who control parts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

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.

A new cease-fire agreement was reached in late 2017 and was meant to begin on December 23, but both sides have accused each other of repeated violations since then.

With reporting by Interfax and TASS