An insurgent leader in Ukraine announced Saturday the launch of an offensive on the government-controlled southeastern port city of Mariupol.
"We have started an offensive on Mariupol, and in a few days we will close the Debaltseve circle and avenge those killed in Donetsk and Horlivka," insurgent leader Alexander Zakharchenko was quoted as saying, by the Interfax news agency, which Xinhua cited in a report.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Defence Minister, Stepan Poltorak, said that the country's military was boosting troop presence near Mariupol.
On Saturday, Mariupol came under rocket fire, which hit an open-air market and nearby homes and shops and led to heavy casualties.
So far, 27 people, including two children, have been killed and 97 others, including five children, have been injured in the shelling, an official said.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has called on the UN Security Council (UNSC) to immediately call a session over the shelling incident.
Zakharchenko had warned Friday that the rebel forces were going to step up their offensive on Ukrainian positions to capture more government-controlled territories.
