Government forces, Russia-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine report renewed fighting

MOSCOW – Government and separatist forces in eastern Ukraine are both reporting renewed fighting.

The press office of the Ukrainian government operation there said on Tuesday that Russia-backed rebels shelled its positions outside the rebel stronghold of Donetsk throughout the night with grenade launchers. The rebel mouthpiece Donetsk News Agency accused government troops of attacking their positions there with tanks.

A truce between the rebels and Kiev, which was announced on Sept. 1, has largely held, although little progress has been achieved to bring about a political settlement to the military conflict that has claimed more than 8,000 lives since it began in April 2014.