Deadly shell attack in Ukraine kills 13 people at Donetsk bus stop

At least 13 people have been killed after a bus was hit by shelling in the eastern Ukraine city of Donetsk, say reports. Ukraine’s defence ministry blamed pro-Russian rebels, saying in a statement: “On Thursday, the terrorists shelled a trolleybus in Donetsk. The terrorists shelled the passenger transport from city residential areas controlled by the illegal militias.” But Moscow has blamed the attack on Ukrainian troops branding it as a “crime against humanity”, aimed at undermining efforts to resolve the bloody conflict, which has claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people.

President Poroshenko informed me today that the Ukrainian authorities have requested a multi-year arrangement with the Fund… to replace the existing… arrangement. We will consult with the IMF Executive Board on the authorities’ request.

IMF statement

The deadly artillery attack in the rebel stronghold came as talks on the country’s crisis led to an agreement to pull back heavy weaponry from a demarcation line defined in last year’s Minsk agreement. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier brokered the deal with his counterparts from France, Russia and Ukraine during talks in Berlin. In a joint statement released by the German foreign ministry, the ministers noted “with serious concern” that fighting in eastern Ukraine had severely escalated, causing the loss of many lives. ”This must stop immediately and the regime of quiet must be restored,” the statement said.

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