Donetsk

Russian-backed rebels in east Ukraine have proclaimed the creation of a new state known as Malorossiya, which translates as "Little Russia." Germany has condemned the proposal as "completely unacceptable", Deutsche Welle reported.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree which guarantees recognition of passports of nationals of so-called 'Donetsk People's Republic' and 'Luhansk People's Republic', TASS news agency reports.

Arseny Pavlov, a military leader of the pro-Russian rebels known by his nom de guerre "Motorola," has been killed in an explosion in Donetsk.

"Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is violating the ceasefire and has declared war on us," said Aleksandr Zakharchenko, who is the prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.

Kiev on August 13 said two soldiers had been killed in the heaviest clashes since the signing of a February truce deal with pro-Russian insurgents in Ukraine's separatist east.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said that a special status the country's Donbass region in the east will not be enshrined in the constitutional amendments prepared recently.

RT is reporting on Tuesday morning that "at least one civilian has been killed in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk."

According to the broadcaster, the person was killed when "an army shell hit an apartment building amid intense fire on rebel positions."

Fighting in Ukraine "intensifies" - OSCE

DONETSK -- Fighting has intensified in eastern Ukraine after more than a month of relative calm, AP is quoting OSCE observers in the region.

Observers on Sunday reported that they heard "intense mortar fire outside the village of Shyrokyne for about three hours as well as machine gun engagement."

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has confirmed that pro-Russian rebels have pulled back a vast part of their heavy arms, adding most of the government forces' weapons have also been removed.

OSCE chairman offers condolences over miners' deaths

BELGRADE -- Ivica Dacic expressed deepest condolences on Thursday over the tragic loss of human lives in the accident that occurred in the Zasyadko Mine in eastern Ukraine.

Dacic is OSCE's chairman-in-office and Serbian foreign minister.

VIENNA - OSCE Chairman-in-Office and Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic expressed deepest condolences on Thursday over the tragic loss of human lives in the accident that occurred in the Zasyadko Mine in eastern Ukraine.