74 civilians killed in Ukraine's Donetsk region over three days. (Kiev claimed major progress...)

At least 74 civilians were killed in clashes between government forces and independence-seeking insurgents in Ukraine's Donetsk region over the past three days, local authorities said Thursday.

According to the press service of Donetsk City Council, another 116 people were wounded as a result of fighting since Monday.

On Thursday afternoon, two civilians were killed and seven injured in Donetsk city, one of the rebel strongholds, when artillery fire hit several buildings in the residential area, the press service said in a statement.

In the past 24 hours, nine Ukrainian soldiers were also killed in fighting with the insurgents, and 18 were wounded, according to Andrei Lysenko, a spokesman for the National Security and Defense Council.

Ukraine has intensified its offensive against the rebels since mid-July after the July 17 downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 in insurgents-controlled Donetsk region, which killed all 298 people on board.

Since then, Kiev claimed major progress in its efforts to retake the rebel-seized areas.
Sources: Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
14/8/14
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• Ukraine sending own aid convoys to war-torn east. ("Urgent assistance" for the civilians living in insurgent-held territory)

KIEV: Ukraine said it was sending on Thursday (Aug 14) its own aid convoys to the war-torn east of the country, as wrangling continued over a mammoth column of Russian trucks rumbling towards the border. "Columns of trucks carrying assistance" will leave the cities of Kiev, Dnipropetrovsk and Kharkiv for a government-held town some 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of the besieged rebel bastion of Lugansk, Ukraine's cabinet said in a statement.

The International Red Cross will distribute the aid to people living in rebel-held areas, the statement said. The Red Cross was not immediately available for comment. A spokesman for the Ukrainian government said 15 lorries would leave Kiev carrying around 240 tonnes of aid following a government pledge on Wednesday of roughly US$750,000 (S$940,000, €560,000) in urgent assistance for the civilians living in insurgent-held territory............................................http://www.ellanodikis.net/2014/08/ukraine-sending-own-aid-convoys-to-war.html
14/8/14