UN Security Council to meet Sunday on Ukraine ceasefire

 The UN Security Council is expected to meet on Sunday for an emergency session to shore up the Minsk ceasefire deal for east Ukraine, diplomats said, AFP reports.

The 15-member council is set to approve a Russian-drafted resolution calling on all parties to implement the deal which provides for a ceasefire beginning on Sunday.

The agreement reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of Ukraine, France and Germany appeared to be in jeopardy amid fierce fighting on Friday that left 28 dead.

A draft of the resolution obtained by AFP welcomes the agreement reached in Minsk on Thursday and "calls on all parties to fully implement" the measures including the ceasefire.

The ceasefire, due to take effect from midnight Sunday (2200 GMT Saturday) will be the first test of the commitment by Kiev and pro-Russian separatists to the peace plan.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called on all sides to follow through on their commitments to end the 10-month war.

At least 5,300 people have died and one million have been driven from their homes in the fighting between pro-Russian separatists in east Ukraine and Kiev's forces.