KIEV (Reuters) - Five Ukrainian servicemen were killed when pro-Russian rebels attacked government positions mostly in the Luhansk region on Thursday, the Ukrainian military said.

An almost three-year-old peace agreement has failed to stop fighting in eastern Ukraine with each side accusing the other of violating the terms of a ceasefire on a near-daily basis.

The Ukrainian military said in a statement they suffered losses during an eight-hour clash near the small village of Krymske, 30 km (20 miles) west of Luhansk.

The situation in the Luhansk region had escalated after a conflict between separatist factions controlling the city.