KIEV, April 5 – Six Ukrainian troops were killed by landmines in the restive separatist-held east Sunday, breaking a lull of several days in a conflict that began a year ago this week.

After weeks in which a shaky ceasefire deal appeared to be largely holding despite isolated clashes, the fatalities brought to nine the number of soldiers reported dead within just 48 hours, AFP reported.

President Petro Poroshenko reiterated a call at the weekend for international peacekeepers to be brought in to try to help end the conflict.

"Unfortunately, six Ukrainian soldiers have been killed today," army spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk told AFP.

Four soldiers died when their vehicle came under missile fire while crossing a bridge near the government-held village of Schastya, not far from the separatist bastion of Luhansk in the northeast.

Ukrainian authorities said a rebel missile hit the bridge, which was mined, detonating a string of mines and causing the vehicle to explode.

"They were our mines. They're anti-tank mines our soldiers had placed there for protection," said Motuzyanyk.
Two others soldiers were killed when an anti-tank mine exploded a few kilometers outside the government-held southeastern port city of Mariupol, the spokesman added.

And on Saturday the government reported the deaths of another three soldiers, the first deaths announced in almost a week.

Ukraine authorities agreed a ceasefire with pro-Russian separatists on February 12 in the Belarussian capital of Minsk.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe which is monitoring the deal on Friday the truce remained "somewhat fragile.”

"As long as guns continue to be fired, and as long as substantial amounts of heavy weaponry continue to be concentrated in offensive and defensive positions, achieving a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire will be difficult," said OSCE spokesman Michael Bociurkiw.

Poroshenko reiterated a call for an international peace force, adding that the issue will be raised upcoming talks between foreign ministers of France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia.

"Peacekeepers are not an alternative to the OSCE process," Poroshenko said, referring to the OSCE's 400 monitors enforcing the ceasefire. "We have to go this way," he told Channel Nine. (afp/ez)