Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko declares ceasefire

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has declared a week-long unilateral ceasefire in fighting with pro-Russian militants in the east of the country, the BBC reported.

Heavy fighting had been continuing between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russia rebels, with new reports of military hardware entering Ukraine.

Mr Poroshenko made his first trip as president to the troubled east on Friday, visiting Ukrainian troops and speaking to residents in the town of Sviatohirsk, north of rebel-held Sloviansk.

Speaking during his visit, he said the ceasefire "doesn't mean we won't fight back against any aggression towards our troops" but that it was intended to give rebels time to disarm.

"If this does not happen within one week, whoever does not take advantage of the conditions of the ceasefire should be destroyed," Mr Poroshenko said.

He said he would invite the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe to monitor the ceasefire.

The Kremlin dismissed the truce, saying it was "not an invitation to peace and negotiations but an ultimatum."

The ceasefire comes a day after Mr Poroshenko held his second phone conversation this week with Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

The Ukrainian peace plan involves decentralising power and holding early local and parliamentary elections.

It also proposes the creation of a 10km (six-mile) buffer zone on the Ukrainian-Russian border, and a safe corridor for pro-Russian separatists to leave the conflict areas.