Kiev reported Friday the first combat death since Ukraine agreed a new truce with Kremlin-backed rebels in the east of the country ahead of the start of the new school year. "As a result of active hostilities, one Ukrainian soldier was killed over the past 24 hours," military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told journalists.
"It happened during the shelling of Avdiivka", her said, referring to a city about 10 kilometres (six miles) north of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk. Separatist forces did not report any casualties but claimed 37 ceasefire violations. The latest ceasefire came into force on August 25 after a series of previous such deals failed to bring any tangible results.