| 1 | WASHINGTON (AP) - The United States says Ukrainian rebels launched more attacks over the last three days than any similar time period since February, in what may be an escalating effort by Russian-backed militants to destabilize Ukraine's Western-backed government. |
| 2 | State Department spokesman John Kirby says the attacks include a heavy artillery assault on a southeastern Ukraine town. |
| 3 | Kirby says since Saturday, three soldiers have been killed and 35 wounded in 127 distinct separatist attacks reported by Ukraine. |
| 4 | Kirby on Monday said the separatists and Moscow cannot "talk peace and then fight" and urged both sides to adhere to a February cease-fire agreement. |
| 5 | He also expressed concern about an arson attack in eastern Ukraine on four armored cars operated by a European observer mission. |
| 6 | Ukraine's conflict has killed some 6,400 people since April 2014. |