By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

KIEV, Ukraine – The most recent truce agreed upon between Germany, France, Ukraine, and Russia while in Minsk appears to be threatened yet again by intensified fighting in Eastern Ukraine. In the past week, 8 Ukrainian soldiers were killed, as well as 40 other Ukrainian soldiers wounded.

The truce, made only three months ago, is at risk of collapsing due to increased fighting. Shyrokyne, a village just 12.5 miles east of Mariupol where both sides anticipate a large fight may be looming, has been shelled over the past several days more than at any point since fighting began in that area in mid-February. Donetsk also saw 550 explosions in just one day, according to OSCE monitors who also reported a “seriously deteriorated” security situation at the rebel-controlled airport in Donetsk. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and NATO military chief Gen Philip Breedlove reported on Wednesday and Thursday that they worry the pro-Russian forces are preparing for an offensive to begin in a couple weeks and that these forces have been taking preparatory action “consistent with the possibility of an offensive.”

A landmine in Luhansk, which is also heavily controlled by pro-Russian rebels, killed two Ukrainian soldiers today. One civilian was also killed by rebel shelling of a Ukrainian army checkpoint in Marinka, which lies just four miles west of Donetsk. In addition to this location, 16 army positions have been shelled in the past 24 hours by guns of a caliber of at least 100mm, which were supposed to be pulled away from the front based on the Minsk agreement from February.

This adds to the nearly 6,200 already killed in fighting since last year between the rebels and Ukrainian soldiers. In response to renewed fighting by both sides, there will be a meeting in Belarus on Wednesday including representatives from both sides to discuss the intensifying situation.

For more information, please see:

Fox News – 2 dead as fighting in Ukraine intensifies – 4 May 2015

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty – Two Ukrainian Soldiers Killed By Land Mine In Luhansk – 4 May 2015

Yahoo News – Ukrainian soldier and civilian killed in intensifying clashes – 3 May 2015

The Guardian – Upswing in fighting in Ukraine sends civilians fleeing and puts truce in doubt – 3 May 2015