Six Ukrainian soldiers killed in attacks

KYIV – Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said on April 14 that six soldiers had been killed and 12 injured as fighting has flared in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, despite a ceasefire. Col. Lysenko said that the casualties were the result of “serious provocations” by Russian-supported separatists. He said the situation in eastern Ukraine was “unstable” with attacks “by the enemy continuing in almost all directions.” He added that the most intense shelling occurred in the villages of Shyrokyne and Pavlopil, near the southern seaport of Mariupol, and in areas near the rebel-held regional capitals of Donetsk and Luhansk. The six deaths were the highest toll in eastern Ukraine in 10 days. (RFE/RL, based on reporting by Agence France-Presse and Reuters)