Kiev: Four Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 10 others wounded in unrest in the east during the past 24 hours, security officials in Kiev said Saturday.
One civilian, a 60-year-old man, was also killed in the eastern region of Lugansk on Friday, the governor`s office announced.
Ukrainian forces are locked in a struggle with pro-Moscow separatists for territory in eastern Ukraine.
A ceasefire has been in place since early September but this has not stopped almost 1,000 people from dying in fighting since, according to the United Nations.
Ukraine`s new coalition government declared joining NATO a priority on Friday in a move likely to provoke fresh anger from Russia, which denies supporting the rebels.
Ukraine`s military on Friday also accused Russia of shelling its territory for the first time since the ceasefire was signed.