Fighting threatens to scuttle Ukraine ceasefire just hours after its start

A woman died and at least four people were wounded yesterday when fighting flared again in eastern Ukraine, jeopardising a ceasefire struck less than two days earlier between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists.

The accord, brokered by envoys from Ukraine, the separatist leadership, Russia and Europe's OSCE security watchdog, is part of a peace plan intended to end a five-month conflict that has killed nearly 3,000 people and caused the sharpest confrontation between Russia and the West since the cold war.

Shelling resumed near the port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov late on Saturday night, just hours after Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko had agreed in a phone call that the truce was holding.

Fighting also broke out early yesterday on the northern outskirts of rebel-held Donetsk, the region's industrial hub.

Plumes of black smoke filled the sky near the airport, which has been in the hands of government forces.

"Listen to the sound of the ceasefire," joked one armed rebel. "There's a proper battle going on there."

Both sides insisted they were strictly observing the ceasefire and blamed their opponents for any violations.