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Ukraine says government forces halt rebel attempt to advance on eastern town

KIEV (Reuters) - An attempt by pro-Russian separatists to advance on Ukrainian troop positions near the town of Maryinka in eastern Ukraine has been halted for now, Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak said on Wednesday. "For the moment, storming operations have been halted," he told journalists. Earlier, the Ukrainian military said separatists had launched a push using tanks and artillery towards Ukrainian government positions west of the big regional city of Donetsk in an escalation of the conflict in the east. Senior rebel commander Eduard Basurin denied separatists had launched an offensive, rebel press service DAN reported. (Reporting by Gleb Garanich; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Richard Balmforth)