NATO urges Russia to help stop violence in east Ukraine

By Gabriela Baczynska and Gleb Garanich BRUSSELS/AVDIYIVKA, Ukraine (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday called on Russia to use its "considerable influence" with separatist rebels to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine after a renewed surge in violence. The Moscow-backed rebels and government forces trade blame for the flare-up in the industrial east that has caused the highest casualty rate since mid-December and cut off power and water to thousands of civilians on both sides of the front line. The shelling eased on Wednesday, but Jan. 29-31 clashes near the Kiev-held front line town of Avdiyivka brought the festering conflict back into focus amid warnings of a looming humanitarian crisis in freezing winter temperatures. "We call for an immediate return to the ceasefire," Stoltenberg said in Brussels "We call on Russia to use its considerable influence over the separatists to bring the violence to an end." He urged both sides, which have been locked in a periodically violent stalemate, to respect the Minsk peace agreement, including its key provision that envisages a withdrawal of heavy weaponry from conflict zone. The fighting marked the first significant escalation of violence in Ukraine since the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose call for better relations with Moscow has alarmed Kiev with the conflict unresolved. Monitors reported an "uncountable" number of explosions near Avdiyivka on Sunday, and some 4,000 more on Monday, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said. The shelling damaged utilities infrastructure. About 20,000 civilians were without power, Stoltenberg said, and residents in separatist-held Donetsk reported water shortages. FOOD TENTS In Avdiyivka, emergency services held off from ordering mandatory evacuation, but set up tents providing hot food and assistance. A Reuters witness said the sound of shelling near the outskirts of town could be heard late on Wednesday afternoon following a few hours of calm. Both the Ukrainian military and separatists reported continued attacks by the other side. Ukraine and NATO accuse Russia of supporting the rebels with troops and weapons, which the Kremlin denies. The European Union and United States under Barack Obama imposed sanctions on Russia over the conflict, as well as its annexation of Crimea. Kiev is concerned by what action Trump might take. The U.S. leader has said he is only in the early stages of considering lifting U.S. sanctions on Russia, though that was still enough to prompt the leaders of France, Britain and other countries to warn that such a move would be premature. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Tuesday said foreign powers needed to put more pressure on the Kremlin. The Kremlin said on Wednesday the flare-up showed the need for swift cooperation between the United States and Russia. More than 10,000 people have been killed since the fighting erupted in April 2014. Ukraine's military said 2 soldiers had been killed on Wednesday, taking the total to 11 since Sunday. Ukraine's regional police force said at least two civilians had been killed. (Additional reporting by Alexei Kalmykov, Natalia Zinets, Pavel Polityuk in Kiev; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Richard Lough)