Ukraine's military casualties rise despite fall in clashes

The number of casualties among government troops fighting pro-independence rebels in eastern Ukraine continues rising, despite a significant drop in clashes, Ukrainian military authorities said Thursday.

Over the past day, four Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 14 others wounded in restive areas, said government military spokesman Olexandr Motuzyanyk.

Among the dead were two servicemen aged 24 and 29 years, who were killed when their truck hit a landmine near the frontline village of Orekhovo in Lugansk region.

Earlier in the day, the press service of the government military operation in eastern regions said that past few days saw less intense fighting and less use of heavy weapons by rebels.

"The enemy has significantly reduced the number of its attacks on Ukrainian troops with the use of weapons, whose caliber exceeds 100 millimeters," the press service said in a statement.

Government forces came under fire 67 times in the past day, which marked the lowest number of rebel attacks in two weeks, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the self-styled defense ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk republic said the Ukrainian army has violated ceasefire 17 times in the last 24 hours, pointing that situation in the combat areas still remains "tense".

There were no reports of insurgent or civilian casualties in the past day.

Last week, violence in eastern Ukraine has sharply escalated with conflicting sides blaming each other for violations of the six-month-old truce and preparations for new offensives. Endit