Fighting picks up in war-torn eastern Ukraine

Fighting has picked up in eastern Ukraine, after more than a month of relative calm, as diplomats gathered in Berlin yesterday to discuss the Ukraine crisis.

The military conflict between Russia-backed rebels and government forces has killed more than 6,000 but has largely subsided since the cease-fire was announced in February and at least some heavy weaponry withdrawn, AP reports.

Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Sunday that its mission observed an intense clash with the use of tanks, heavy artillery as well as grenade launchers and mortars in the north of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk.

On Sunday alone, the OSCE recorded at least 1,166 explosions, caused mainly by artillery and mortar shell strikes in northern Donetsk as well as on its outskirts including the airport, now obliterated by fighting.

The OSCE also reported intense mortar fire outside the village of Shyrokyne by the Azov Sea but said its representatives were repeatedly barred from accessing the village on Sunday.

Mortar fire was also heard at night and in the morning yesterday in central Donetsk.

One Ukrainian soldier was killed and 6 more wounded in eastern Ukraine in 24 hours, Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, military spokesman for the Ukrainian presidential administration, told reporters at noon yesterday, while the rebels reported four wounded.

Both the OSCE and Ukrainian officials say they have witnessed shelling from heavy weaponry that was supposed to have been withdrawn from the front line in compliance with the cease-fire deal brokered by European leaders, Russia and Ukraine in February.

Foreign policy chiefs from Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany are meeting to discuss the crisis in Ukraine later yesterday.