Military trucks drive along a road in the territory controlled by the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republicn Ukraine (Reuters)
Heavy shelling resumed around the pro-Russian separatist stronghold of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, a Reuters witness said, increasing concerns a ceasefire between the rebels and government forces could crumble.
Volleys of mortar bomb fire could be heard from the city centre every few minutes, though it was unclear who had launched them or what was under fire. Fighting has often centred around Donetsk airport which is outside the city centre.
Sporadic violence has flared since the Sept. 5 truce in a conflict that has killed more than 4,000 people but truce has looked particularly fragile in the past week, with separatists and the central government accusing each other of violations.
Donetsk was pummelled at the weekend by the heaviest shelling in a month and on Tuesday the Ukrainian army accused rebels of preparing for renewed conflict.
The latest escalation in violence follows separatist leadership elections on Nov. 2, which Kiev says violated the peace agreement.
Russia has denied providing the rebels with military support but NATO says there is overwhelming evidence it has done so.
© Thomson Reuters 2014