'No lull in Ukraine rebel offensive'

Pro-Russian rebels are pushing on with an offensive in eastern Ukraine despite an imminent planned ceasefire, the Ukrainian military said on Saturday.

It reported 120 separate attacks by the rebels in the past 24 hours, and said fierce fighting was continuing around the strategic railway hub of Debaltseve, which has formed a focus of the separatists' offensive in recent weeks.

Separately, officials in the port city of Mariupol said a number of artillery attacks hit areas nearby in the morning. Ukrainian authorities fear that separatists may want to capture the city in a bid to establish a corridor between mainland Russia and the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed 11 months ago.

The violence comes as a truce is due to come into effect at midnight on Sunday (2200 UTC Saturday) under a deal struck on Thursday after marathon talks in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.

In the last 24 hours, seven Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 23 wounded in the fighting. Moreover, the Ukrainian army said that 14 civilians were killed, the German News Agency, DPA, reports.

Truce over before it begins?

Fears are growing that the truce will have no chance to take hold as separatists try to gain as much territory as possible before it goes into effect. A previous ceasefire called in September failed to bring any significant let-up in violence.

Reports allegedly received by the United States of heavy weaponry entering eastern Ukraine from Russia over the past few days have also fueled doubts as to whether the creation of a heavy weapons-free zone as envisaged by the latest agreement will go ahead.

Diplomats said the UN Security Council is expected to meet on Sunday for an emergency session to try and bolster the deal, reached after long talks between the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France.

Russia, which has been accused by the United States and other fellow members of the Council of backing the separatists, has meanwhile circulated a surprise draft resolution endorsing the new ceasefire agreement and calling on all parties to carry it out fully.

Earlier Russian draft resolutions last year calling for a ceasefire were viewed with disfavor by many Council members who were angered by Moscow's annexation of Crimea.

New appointment

Despite the months-long insurgency in its eastern regions, Ukraine says it remains intent upon continuing the course of reforms pledged by its president, Petro Poroshenko.

As part of this bid, officials announced on Saturday that the former pro-Western leader of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, had been appointed as head of the Advisory International Council of Reforms, a body that is meant to help the country implement best practices and promote global support.

Saakashvili, a lawyer who became president of Georgia in 2003 after that country's Rose Revolution, is credited with having implemented numerous effective economic reforms and tackling corruption during his decade in power.

However, he is now facing charges of abuse of power from Georgian justice authorities and lives in exile in the United States.

"Mikheil will become a representative of Ukraine abroad and, simultaneously, a representative of the international community in Ukraine," Poroshenko said in a statement.

Ukraine has appointed several foreigners to top government posts, including Georgian Alexander Kvitashvili as health minister and Lithuanian-born Aivaras Abromavicius as economic development and trade minister.

The country is facing a severe economic crisis and is reliant on foreign financial aid.

tj/kms (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)