Kyiv accuses separatists of launching a major counterattack.

The Ukrainian army accused separatists in the east of launching a "major counteroffensive" on June 3rd to penetrate deeper into government-controlled territory, but the separatists denied the accusation.

"The enemy has deployed 10 tanks and nearly 1,000 soldiers toward Marinka to fight Ukrainian units. They are using 2S1 'Carnation' self-propelled howitzers to support the attack."XinhuaAccording to a statement from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Government forces had to use heavy artillery, banned under the Minsk peace agreement, to repel the attack and avoid casualties, the agency added.

Location of the town of Marinka. Graphic: BBC

Andriy Taran, head of the Ukrainian ceasefire coordination and control center, accused the separatists of attacking Marinka with tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and 152 mm artillery.

"This is a blatant violation of all agreements, especially the Minsk agreement, which forms the basis for a comprehensive ceasefire," Taran told reporters.

Meanwhile, separatist leaders denied their involvement in the shelling of Marinka, accusing Ukrainian soldiers of provocative firing. "The Ukrainian side acted provocatively, shelling our positions along the front line," said Vladimir Kononov, defense minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic.

Rebels move through a checkpoint in armored vehicles on the road from Vuhlehirsk to Debaltseve. Photo: Reuters

There is no official information yet on casualties. Local media reported that fighting in Marinka, 30 km west of the separatist stronghold of Donetsk, resulted in heavy losses on both sides.

According to UN estimates, the conflict in eastern Ukraine, which erupted in April 2014, has killed more than 6,400 people. To end the crisis, the parties involved signed the Minsk Agreement on February 12, which includes maintaining a ceasefire, withdrawing heavy weapons from the front lines, and establishing buffer zones at both ends of the conflict.

According to Vnexpress