6 killed ahead of Ukraine peace talks

Four Ukrainian soldiers and two civilians were reported killed yesterday in an upsurge in mortar and rocket attacks launched just days ahead of planned international talks on the crisis.

Local authorities in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk said two civilians were killed and seven injured in clashes around the industrial city's disputed airport.

The air hub -- once the busiest and most modern in the largely Russian-speaking east of Ukraine -- has been held by a skeleton force of government soldiers since late May.

Almost daily attacks by pro-Russian insurgents on the airport have resulted in heavy civilian casualties caused by heavy rocket fire from both sides going astray.

The Ukrainian military said four of its soldiers had also been wounded in the past day of violence around the separatist province.

Ukranian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko blamed the spike in rebel attacks on new supplies of weapons that he alleged they were provided by Russia under the guise of humanitarian aid.