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 kilometers (six miles) north of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk.
Separatist forces did not report any casualties but claimed 37 cease-fire violations.
The latest cease-fire came into force on August 25 after a series of previous such deals failed to bring any tangible results.
A European-brokered peace plan put forward in 2015 has hit a wall, with Moscow and Kiev accusing each other of failing to fulfil their obligations.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which has a monitoring mission to eastern Ukraine, welcomed last month “the recommitment to cease-fire,” with chief monitor Ertugrul Apakan calling it “an encouraging joint, political signal from all signatories.”
The conflict between Russia-backed fighters and Ukrainian troops has killed more than 10,000 people since 2014, when pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine rebelled against Kiev and Russia annexed Crimea.

source:Arab News