Here is today's situation map of eastern Ukraine by the National Security and Defense Council:
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
Fighting between government forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine continued on January 19 amid conflicting claims over the situation at the bitterly contested Donetsk airport.
Reports say sporadic explosions were heard around the airport on January 19, when Orthodox Christians in Ukraine and Russia celebrate Epiphany, but that the violence seemed to be at a lower level than in previous days.
The Ukrainian military says the rebels had shelled government positions and residential areas at least 35 times since 6 p.m. local time on January 18.
It also claimed Ukrainian troops had retaken almost all parts of the ruined airport lost to separatists in recent weeks.
But a separatist leader, Aleksandr Zakharchenko, told a news conference that "all the Ukrainian Army's attempts to take the airport...have failed."
Russia and Ukraine traded accusations over the recent fighting. Vladimir Putin's spokesman claimed that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko rejected a peace plan proposed by the Russian president in a letter on January 15.
In a statement early on January 19, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry urged Moscow to sign a timetable for implementing the portion of a September 5 cease-fire deal that called for the withdrawal of foreign forces and heavy military equipment from the region.
Ukraine Honors Victims Of Volnovakha Bus Massacre
Thousands of people joined marches across Ukraine on January 18 to honor the 12 people killed on a bus near Volnovakha in eastern Ukraine five days earlier. Many held placards stating "Je Suis Volnovakha." Kyiv blames the attack, the bloodiest single incident in several months, on pro-Russian separatists.
This from Ruptly TV. A bridge has been destroyed near Donetsk International Airport.
"The Putilovsky Bridge near Donetsk International Airport was destroyed during heavy fighting between Kiev forces and fighters of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR/DPR), Sunday. The bridge was blown in half during shelling that accompanied an assault by Kiev forces on areas held by the DNR militias."
Latest from our news desk:
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has joined other leaders voicing concern over an increase in fighting in the conflict between governing forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Ban said in a statement on January 18 that he was "alarmed by the severe escalation of fighting."
The UN chief called for "an immediate and full cessation of hostilities."
He said the fighting threatens to completely scuttle a 12-point peace plan signed by representatives of Ukraine, Russia, and the rebels in Minsk on September 5.
A Ukrainian military spokesman said on January 18 that four soldiers had been killed in the previous 24 hours, three of them in fierce fighting in which Kyiv says its forces took almost all the territory of Donetsk airport lost to separatists in recent weeks.
Some reports said at least 14 people were killed over the weekend.
More than 4,700 people have been killed in the conflict since April
From RFE/RL's News Desk:
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has joined other leaders voicing concern over an increase in fighting in the conflict between governing forces and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Ban said in a statement on January 18 that he was "alarmed by the severe escalation of fighting."
The UN chief called for "an immediate and full cessation of hostilities."
He said the fighting threatens to completely scuttle a 12-point peace plan signed by representatives of Ukraine, Russia, and the rebels in Minsk on September 5.
A Ukrainian military spokesman said on January 18 that four soldiers had been killed in the previous 24 hours, three of them in fierce fighting in which Kyiv says its forces took back almost all the territory of Donetsk airport lost to separatists in recent weeks.
Some reports said at least 14 people were killed over the weekend.
More than 4,700 people have been killed in the conflict since April.