At least 24 people have died in renewed fighting in eastern Ukraine, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that the peace deal between warring sides is under “constant threat” of breakdown.

At least 24 people have died in renewed fighting in eastern Ukraine, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that the peace deal between warring sides is under “constant threat” of breakdown.

Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday that the peace deal in the ex-Soviet state faced a "constant threat" from the Ukrainian government side.

"The February 12 Minsk agreements are under constant threat of breaking down because of the actions of the Kiev authorities who are trying to avoid fulfilling their obligations to establish direct dialogue with the Donbass," Lavrov said, referring to the rebel-controlled territory.

For his part, a senior commander of the pro-Russian Ukrainian separatists doing battle with Kiev forces, Eduard Basurin, told AFP that 14 separatist fighters and five civilians had died over the past 24 hours.

An estimated 24 civilians and 86 fighters had also been wounded, he told reporters.

Kiev authorities said that five soldiers had been also killed in the upsurge in fighting.

Kiev on Wednesday accused pro-Russian forces of launching a large-scale attack on the settlement of Maryinka, west of the fighters’ stronghold Donetsk, in breach of the fragile truce brokered by the West in February.

The fighting had died down on Wednesday afternoon and Kiev authorities said on Thursday they were clearing mines and unexploded shells.

"It's quiet in Maryinka now," a Ukrainian military spokesman, Olexandr Paranyuk, told AFP.

The Kremlin on Wednesday accused the Ukrainian army  -- which admitted it resorted to the use of heavy artillery against the separatists -- of "provocative actions."