Ukrainian regime forces and separatist rebels have begun withdrawing heavy artillery from the front line, National Security and Defence Council spokesman Andriy Lysenko said yesterday.

The deadlocked armies aim to create a buffer zone between them to strengthen the September 5 ceasefire, which has been repeatedly violated.

Negotiators agreed on Saturday that guns with calibres of 100 millimetres or more should be moved nine miles back from the front, combat aircraft should not fly over the warzone and neither side should lay new minefields.

But Mr Lysenko added that two more Ukrainian soldiers had been killed over the past 24 hours — while smoke rising from neighbourhoods in rebel-held Donetsk indicated that the fascist-backed government in Kiev has not stopped shelling the city.

Despite a Ukrainian parliament Bill offering three years of self-rule to Lugansk and Donetsk, where anti-fascist resistance forces took over following the February coup d’etat in Kiev, rebels remain wary of government good faith.