Ukraine, Russia-backed rebels trade accusations of shelling across front17 Feb 2022 10:41
KADIIVKA, Ukraine, Feb 17 (Reuters) - Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces traded accusations on Thursday that each had fired across the ceasefire line in eastern Ukraine, raising alarm at a time when Western countries have warned of the possibility of a Russian invasion any day.
The details of the incidents could not be independently confirmed, and the initial reports suggested they were on a similar scale to ceasefire violations that have been common throughout the eight year conflict.
But they come at a time of global concern over the prospect of a wider war, with more than 100,000 Russian troops near the Ukrainian frontier. Moscow denies it is planning an invasion and has said this week it is pulling back some troops, though Western countries say they are not convinced.
The separatists accused government forces of opening fire on their territory four times in the past 24 hours, while Ukraine accused the rebels of firing shells, including some that struck a kindergarten, causing shell-shock to two civilians.
A Reuters photographer in the town of Kadiivka in Ukraine's rebel-held Luhansk region heard the sound of some artillery fire from the direction of the line of contact but was not immediately able to assess the details of the incident.
Kyiv and its Western allies have repeatedly said in recent weeks that they believe Moscow could use an incident in the separatist conflict as justification for an invasion. Russia, for its part, has accused Kyiv of trying to provoke an escalation to recapture rebel territory by force.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-rebels-accuse-govt-forces-mortar-shelling-report-2022-02-17/
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