12 killed in Ukraine

Seven civilians and five soldiers were killed in fighting in east Ukraine, government and rebel officials said yesterday, with Kiev accusing pro-Russian separatists of massing forces for fresh offensives.

Rebels are "accumulating forces for further offensive operations on Debaltseve and Mariupol," Ukrainian defence official Volodymyr Polyovyi told journalists.

The separatists were sending fresh tanks, armoured personnel carriers as well as multiple launch rocket systems to the Debaltseve region and Granitne, around 35 kilometres northeast of Mariupol, Polyovyi said.

Debaltseve -- mid-way between rebel centres Donetsk and Lugansk -- has been the focus of fierce fighting for over a week as insurgent fighters try to encircle government troops holding the strategic railway hub.

Separatist fighters in January fired rockets at the strategic government-held port city of Mariupol, whose capture could open up a land bridge from Russia to Crimea.

Missile fire yesterday hit Debaltseve a day after a brief truce allowed hundreds of civilians to flee, government officials said.

Ukraine's military had previously said that a temporary ceasefire that saw shelling of the beleaguered town halt for several hours Friday could be extended into yesterday.