Ukraine reaches cease-fire with Russia-backed rebels

The Ukrainian government has agreed to a cease-fire with pro-Russia rebels in the eastern part of the country, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. Fighting between government forces and Russia-backed rebels in the East has killed more than 10,000 people and displaced more than a million since 2014, when Russia seized the region of Crimea from Ukraine. Darka Olifer, spokeswoman for Ukrainian government envoy Leonid Kuchma at talks with separatist rebels, said Wednesday they agreed to a cease-fire starting Saturday to allow residents to begin harvesting crops. The parties agreed to a cease-fire in 2015, but neither side held to the deal.

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