One soldier killed in clashes in rebel east Ukraine

Kiev: One Ukrainian soldier was killed in clashes in the country's east, the military said on Sunday, as fighting between government forces and pro-Russian separatists intensifies after weeks of relative calm.

The soldier was killed and eight others wounded after shelling some 10 kilometres north of the de facto rebel capital Donetsk, Ukrainian army spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said.

After the latest truce took hold in September, fighting dipped to its lowest level since the start of the 19-month conflict but a recent uptick in violence has sparked concerns it could unravel.

Yesterday, Ukraine reported the death of five soldiers, the highest military death toll since the beginning of the 10-week truce.

More than 8,000 people have been killed since insurgents took up arms against Ukraine's pro-Western government last year following the ouster of a pro-Russian president in the capital Kiev.