More fighting flared in Ukraine between government forces and pro-Russian government forces, further imperiling an already fragile cease-fire, as a new Russian aid convoy entered the country without Kiev’s permission Saturday.
On Saturday, Ukraine's military operation in the east said it had repelled a rebel attack on the government-held airport of Donetsk, which came under artillery fire from rebel positions late on Friday. Ukrainian authorities also admitted for the first time since the cease-fire started last week that they have inflicted casualties on the rebel side. Continuous rocket fire could be heard overnight in Donetsk.
Also Saturday, a convoy of more than 200 white trucks crossed the border to deliver humanitarian aid to the battered region. "Early in the morning, we entered Ukraine to bring aid to Luhansk," said Yury Stepanov, a Russian who was overseeing the convoy. "We came in around 215 vehicles," he added, as workers unloaded boxes into a local warehouse. Luhansk is one of the worst-hit cities, where tens of thousands have been without water, electricity, or phone connections for weeks. The new convoy was met with silence by Ukraine’s top leaders.
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