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New shelling has been reported in the rebel-held east Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Luhansk, shortly after the peace deal reached in Minsk.
There are no confirmed reports of casualties. Both cities are near the front line where the pro-Russian rebels face government forces.
The ceasefire agreed in the Belarusian capital is to begin in eastern Ukraine after midnight (22:00 GMT) on Saturday.
The EU has warned Russia of new sanctions if the deal is not respected.
Foreign journalists in Donetsk city heard new shelling on Friday morning though they said it sounded less intense than in recent days.
Reports say the city of Luhansk came under bombardment on Thursday evening.
Doubts remain about the deal, which was agreed at talks between Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France.
Leaders from the four countries finalised the truce on Thursday morning after marathon overnight negotiations in Minsk.
The latest agreement includes:
- Ceasefire to begin at 00:01 local time on 15 February (22:01 GMT 14 February)
- Heavy weapons to be withdrawn, beginning on 16 February and completed in two weeks
- All prisoners to be released; amnesty for those involved in fighting
- Withdrawal of all foreign troops and weapons from Ukrainian territory. Disarmament of all illegal groups
- Ukraine to allow resumption of normal life in rebel areas, by lifting restrictions
- Constitutional reform to enable decentralisation for rebel regions by the end of 2015
- Ukraine to control border with Russia if conditions met by the end of 2015
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Ukraine conflict
The human cost
5,486
people killed since conflict began in April 2014
- 12,972 wounded across eastern Ukraine
- 5.2 million people estimated to be living in conflict areas
- 978,482 internally displaced people within Ukraine, including 119,832 children
Pro-Russian rebels have signed the agreement, which also includes weapon withdrawals and prisoner exchanges, but key issues remain to be settled.
Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of supplying weapons and personnel to the rebels but Russia denies this.
More than 5,400 people have been killed since the conflict began. There has been a dramatic rise in casualties in recent days, with 263 civilians killed in populated areas between 31 January and 5 February.
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Two accords – what are the differences? |
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|---|---|---|
| September 2014 | February 2015 | |
| The ceasefire | No precise timing set. | Starts at 00:00 local time on 15 Feb. |
| Withdrawal of heavy weapons | No timetable, buffer zone of 30km (19 miles) to be created. | Buffer zones from 50km to maximum of 140km; withdrawal to start by 16 Feb. Completion within two weeks. |
| Withdrawal of troops | Pull-back demanded from existing frontline (at the time of signing the Ukrainian army had pushed the rebels back, but later the rebels made big gains). | Ukrainian army pulls back from current frontline, but rebels retreat from 19 Sep 2014 line, so some recent rebel gains will be lost. |
| Control of Ukraine-Russia border | OSCE to monitor border permanently, and security zones to be set up on both sides of border. | Ukraine to regain full control of border only after local elections in Donetsk and Luhansk and after a full political settlement – deadline is end of 2015. |
| Release of all hostages | Immediate. | To be completed at latest on fifth day after military withdrawal. |
| Economic help for Donetsk/Luhansk | Provide humanitarian aid and work to restore normal economic activity (no timetable). | Provide humanitarian aid; restore full economic links with Donetsk/Luhansk, including welfare payments and banking services; Ukrainian state to help develop Donetsk/Luhansk and regions’ co-operation with Russia. |
BBC