Kiev says 65 government troops killed since E. Ukraine truce

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that 65 government soldiers were killed and 243 wounded since the truce in eastern Ukraine came into force more than two months ago amid continuing ceasefire violations.

"Since February 15, a total of 2,555 attacks on Ukrainian forces were recorded in the combat zone," Foreign Ministry spokesman Eugene Perebiynis told reporters during a media briefing.

There was not a single day that passed without ceasefire violations from side of independence-seeking insurgents, Perebiynis said, accusing the rebels of not pulling back some of their heavy weapons, which were meant to have been withdrawn from the frontline according to the Minsk agreement.

Commenting on the reports that the Ukrainian army is not fully adhering to the Minsk peace deal itself, the spokesman called such allegations "groundless."

"These statements are not supported by any facts," Perebiynis said.

The ceasefire came into force in Ukraine's restive eastern regions on Feb. 15 under a peace deal reached in Minsk, the capital of Belarus during talks involving leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France.

A comprehensive truce, the full pullout of heavy weapons from the frontline and the exchange of all prisoners are the main provisions of the deal. Enditem