Ukraine president: Almost 7,000 civilians and 1,600 soldiers killed in war

Figures mark a major upward revision of earlier estimates

Petro Poroshenko says 1,657 Ukrainian troops have been killed in the conflict (Getty Images)

The Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko has said that almost 7,000 civilians and around 1,600 soldiers have been killed so far in the war in the east of the country.

Speaking before parliament, Mr Poroshenko said that 1,657 Ukrainian troops had died in fighting with the Russian-backed separatists seeking the breakaway of two eastern regions.

Mr Poroshenko's figures mark a major upward revision of earlier estimates.

Only yesterday, the Ukrainian military said that two servicemen were killed and 26 more wounded in separatist territories in the east.

The two sides have put their larger weapons out of range (ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP/Getty Images)

Violence has engulfed the region since February 2014, following the ousting of the then anti-EU President Viktor Yankovych, and the annexation of Crimea by Russia.

Though violence has fallen significantly since a peace accord was signed in February of this year,both government troops and pro-Russian rebels accuse the other side of violations and casualties are reported almost daily.

Additional reporting by Associated Press