REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DONETSK -- Fighting raged in Ukraine on Friday with the clock ticking down to a ceasefire as the US said Russia was still deploying heavy arms and Kiev warned that the shelling of civilians had intensified since the truce agreement.

Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko said the continuing bombardment of civilians in eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian separatist rebels was already undermining the peace plan reached in Minsk on Thursday.

At least 27 civilians and soldiers were reported killed in the latest upsurge in fighting.

"Unfortunately after the Minsk agreement, Russia's offensive has significantly increased. We still think that the agreement is in great danger," Poroshenko said during a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

"After what we concluded in Minsk, these are not only attacks against civilians but also against the Minsk agreement," he added, referring to the shelling of the town of Artemivsk that killed three people including a seven-year-old child.

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 freshly-inked peace plan.

But with separatists fighting to conquer more territory ahead of the truce and Kiev forces digging in, there were fears over whether anyone would observe the truce, considered vital to the success of the peace roadmap.

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