Ukraine, Russia-backed rebels accuse each other of firing across cease-fire line

Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels accused each other on Thursday of firing across a cease-fire line in eastern Ukraine.

The rebels accused government forces of opening fire on their territory four times in the last 24 hours, while Ukrainian forces accused the rebels of firing, according to Reuters.

While the accusation could not be verified, a Reuter’s photographer in Kadiivka, a town in Ukraine’s rebel-held Luhansk region, said he heard the sound of artillery fire.

The Luhansk People’s Republic, one of the rebel regions, said Ukrainian forces used mortars, grenade launchers and a machine gun in four different incidents Thursday, according to the news service.

“Armed forces of Ukraine have crudely violated the ceasefire regime, using heavy weapons, which, according to the Minsk agreements, should be withdrawn,” the group said in a statement, according to Reuters. 

The Ukrainian military, meanwhile, reportedly said the rebels “shelled the village of Stanytsa Lugansk in the Luhansk region.”

“As a result of the use of heavy artillery weapons by terrorists, shells hit the kindergarten building,” the military said. “According to preliminary data, two civilians received shell shock.”

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have been high, with many leaders from the West concerned that Russia will invade its neighbor. However, the Kremlin has repeatedly denied the accusations.