Signs of fighting after Russia says unilateral truce comes into force in Ukraine

A unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin was due to come into force on January 6 but the hours leading up to the temporary truce saw renewed fighting, with Kyiv rejecting the move as a trick.

Russia's defence ministry said its troops began observing the ceasefire from noon Moscow time (0900 GMT) "along the entire line of contact" in the conflict but said Ukraine kept up shelling Russian-populated areas and military positions, Reuters reports.

Reuters could not immediately establish if there had been any lull in fighting after the deadline, which marked the eve of the Russian Orthodox Christmas in the region.

In the hours prior, rockets slammed into a residential building in the Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk close to the eastern frontline, damaging 14 homes but with no casualties, the mayor said. Residents described several explosions.

"It's bad, very bad. We need to pressure them and get them to leave, maybe more air defence systems would help. This often happens, not only on festive occasions. Every other day," said Oleksandr, 36, outside a supermarket at the time of the attack.

Shortly after the ceasefire was supposed to come into effect, Russian-backed officials accused Ukraine of shelling the regional capital of Donetsk with artillery, Russia's state-run TASS news agency said.

Putin ordered the 36-hour ceasefire in the 10-month-long war in a surprise move on January 5, saying it would run through to the end of Russian Orthodox Christmas on Saturday.

But Ukraine and its Western allies dismissed his call, calling it a ploy aimed at giving Moscow time to reinforce troops and equipment after heavy losses in the industrial Donetsk region where Kramatorsk is located.

Despite air raid warnings sounding in several regions, no major air strikes were reported by Ukrainian officials after the ceasefire starting time.

One rescue worker was killed and four others injured after Russian forces shelled a fire department in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson before the deadline early on January 6, the regional governor said.

The battles had not previously slowed during the festive season and Russia mounted waves of air strikes over New Year, usually a time of celebration in both Ukraine and Russia.