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22nd September, 2014

DONETSK, Ukraine: Ukraine insisted Sunday it would not pull back its troops from the frontline until all sides cease fire under a peace plan aimed at ending five months of bloodshed in the east.

Kiev and pro-Russian rebels are supposed to pull back their forces and weaponry to create a 30-kilometre (20-mile) wide buffer zone in line with a reinforced truce deal agreed in Minsk on Saturday.

But heavy gunfire erupted around the eastern insurgent stronghold of Donetsk on Sunday, just hours after NATOs top military commander had said there was a ceasefire in name only on the ground.

National Security and Defence Council spokesman Andriy Lysenko said the first point agreed in the Belarussian capital referring to a mutual ceasefire had to be respected before the rest of the plan could be implemented.

But the first point has not yet been fulfilled, so we cannot speak about the other points, he said.

If (Ukrainian forces) are withdrawn, it will be done simultaneously with the Russian troop withdrawal.

The nine-point Minsk plan is meant to reinforce a truce forged on September 5 in a bid to stem fighting that has claimed nearly 3,000 lives since April and threatened Ukraines very survival.

A rebel who identified himself as a member of Donetsk Peoples Republics military intelligence said Ukrainian forces were continuing to shoot on insurgent positions around the airport although the attacks had dropped off in intensity and firepower.

But when they fire we respond, of course, the man who gave his name as Denis told AFP. Each side wants to show the other they are still there.

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Ukraine says won't pull back troops just yet