Violence Flares as Forces Clash In Eastern Ukraine

Clashes on Wednesday near Donetsk are seen to be the worst violation of the Minsk agreement since the EU-brokered ceasefire took effect in February.

A spokeswoman for the EU's executive Commission told a news briefing:

"This renewed intensive fighting is likely to create a new spiral of violence and suffering."

This comes as the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says there are now 9,000 Russian servicemen on Ukrainian territory, and he fears a "full-scale invasion".

A new report is also warning that Western powers must urgently strengthen their military forces to combat the threat of Russian aggression.