At Least 30 Dead As Rebels Hit Ukraine Homes

At least 30 people have been killed in a rocket attack by pro-Russian rebels on the strategic port city of Mariupol in southeast Ukraine.

A further 83 people were injured in the separatist offensive, which saw homes, shops, schools and a busy market hit by long-range missiles.

The rockets were fired from rebel-held territory, international monitors have confirmed.

It led the European Union's foreign policy chief to warn of a further "grave deterioration" in EU-Russian relations.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the fighting in eastern Ukraine had sharply escalated with a large-scale offensive by Russian-backed separatists.

"This is in utter disregard of the ceasefire," he said in a statement.

"Russian troops in eastern Ukraine are supporting these offensive operations with command and control systems, air defence systems with advanced surface-to-air missiles, unmanned aerial systems (drones), advanced multiple rocket launcher systems and electronic warfare systems.

"I strongly urge Russia to stop its military, political and financial support for the separatists, stop destabilising Ukraine and respect its international commitments."

Earlier, pro-Russian separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko announced the start of an offensive on the government-held city, only to later claim his forces had "conducted no active operations in Mariupol".

It came the day after he said he was ripping up the September peace agreement and launching an all-out offensive aimed at seizing lands.

He was quoted by a Russian news agency as saying at a memorial service for eight civilians killed at bus stop: "Today an offensive was launched on Mariupol. This will be the best possible monument to all our dead."

Ukrainian President President Petro Poroshenko has pledged to protect Ukrainian territory, and said he would convene an emergency meeting of the country's security council.

He said: "We are for peace, but we accept the challenge of the enemy. We will protect our motherland,"

Mariupol mayor Yuriy Khotlubei said in a video statement: "The shelling was carried out by militants. This is very clearly Russian aggression that has caused terrible losses for the residents of the eastern part of our city."

The authorities in the government-held city struggled to calm the panicking residents and condemned the attack on ordinary residents.

One resident said: "Obviously everyone in the city is very scared. The rebels have already seized the airport and now they are starting to destroy Mariupol itself."

Footage and pictures emerging from the city showed widespread damage.

Mariupol city council dismissed suggestions Ukrainian armed forces were planning to withdraw from the government-held city, which is strategically important because it lies between mainland Russia and Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in March.

In a statement, urging residents not to panic, the council said: "On the contrary, all units are on fully battle-ready. Security measures in the city have been strengthened."

A peace deal between the government and the separatists was signed in September but is has been repeatedly violated by both sides. It came after a push on the city of Mariupol in August.

There has been a significant increase in fighting in the last two weeks and the United Nations says 262 lives have been claimed in the past nine days alone.

Moscow has denied claims by the West that it has sent troops and weapons to support the rebels in eastern Ukraine.

The nine-month conflict, which has claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people, has led to the worst crisis in East-West relations since the Cold War.