KIEV (Reuters) - Eight Ukrainian servicemen have been killed - seven of them in a single land mine blast - in the past 24 hours in eastern Ukraine where government forces are battling pro-Russian separatists, Kiev's military spokesman said on Tuesday.
"We have lost eight servicemen. One was killed during fighting with rebels while another seven were killed when their vehicle was blown up by a land mine," spokesman Andriy Lysenko said.
The land mine explosion took place near Donetsk, he added, referring to the largest city in eastern Ukraine which is under the control of the rebels.
A ceasefire between the two sides brokered in February by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France remains technically in force, but regular skirmishes are claiming lives almost daily on both sides.
(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk; Editing by Richard Balmforth and Gareth Jones)
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