Three Ukrainian servicemen have been killed and seven wounded in fighting with pro-Russian separatists in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian military said on Tuesday, reporting the highest daily casualty toll since mid-November. A year-old ceasefire deal has failed to stop violence in Ukraine's separatist eastern territories, and international monitors have voiced concern over increased shelling in recent weeks. "Yesterday the situation on the front line escalated. In general, every third enemy attack is from a heavy weapon or mortar banned under the Minsk (ceasefire) agreement," military spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said in a daily televised briefing. He said the fiercest fighting had taken place on the front line near the village of Zaitseve, about 30 miles (48 km) north of the rebel-controlled city of Donetsk. The casualties reported by Motuzyanyk were the highest losses for the Ukrainian army since five servicemen were killed on Nov. 14, according to Reuters calculations based on military data.
