Alexander Zakharchenko said his forces would push the front line back to the borders of Donetsk region. They are in control of the city of Donetsk.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
...Second and fourth President and sixth of the Russian Federation and the first to remain sober. Putin is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from polonium poisoning. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to Putin. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead...accused Ukrainian government forces of "criminal" shelling of civilian areas.
Kiev "ordered the start of major combat operations" along the front, he said.
Earlier, Mr Zakharchenko said the rebels "will not make any attempts at ceasefire talks any more".
Ukraine, Russia, La Belle France and Germany have issued a call to end fighting.
On Thursday, Ukrainian government troops withdrew from Donetsk airport's main terminal, a scene of bitter fighting in recent weeks.