(10 Aug 2014) Fighting raged on Sunday in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk despite a request from the pro-Russian rebels there for a cease-fire to prevent a "humanitarian catastrophe."
One person was killed and 10 injured in shelling that began early morning according to a spokesman from the city council.
More than 10 residential buildings, as well as a hospital and a shop, were heavily damaged by shelling overnight, and several buses caught in the crossfire were still burning on Sunday morning.
"They are my sister's family, her granddaughter died, and even my grandson. I will never see him again," said 84 year-old Sorochina Elizaveta, who was being treated by paramedics.
At least 300,000 of Donetsk's one million residents have fled as violence escalates between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists.
The UN says more than 1,300 people have been killed since April.
In a news conference on Friday, Aleksandr Zakharchenko, the so-called prime minister of the Donetsk separatists, said he was willing to agree to a ceasefire if Ukrainian troops leave the region.
His comments were reiterated on Sunday.
"A key starting point, condition, for talks regarding any sort of ceasefire, is a complete withdrawal of Ukrainian troops of the territory of Donetsk People's Republic", said Elena Nikitina, Donetsk People's Republic spokesperson.
In a press conference in Kiev on Saturday a spokesman for Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, said the only way for the rebels in Donetsk to save their lives would be to stop fighting.
He said the Ukrainian side hadn't seen the rebels show any real willingness to cooperate.
The Ukrainian government has steadily retaken territory from the insurgents over the last few weeks, ousting them from smaller provincial cities and completely encircling Donetsk.
Despite a steadily rising casualty toll as Ukrainian troops move into the city, the Kiev government has faced little resistance at home or in the West to its military campaign, and its recent successes make it unlikely that it will agree to any demands to withdraw.
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