The United States has urged ally Ukraine to exercise restraint and minimise civilian casualties as its forces advanced on the pro-Russian rebels who seized an enclave in the east of the country.
"We've stressed the importance of showing restraint to minimise casualties among the civilian... population," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters on Thursday.
"We call on the Ukrainians to take every step to avoid the local population as they try to free the city from the separatists," Harf said, specifically asking Kiev not to use weapons that could put civilians at greater risk.
But Harf reiterated US support for Ukraine to defeat the four-month-old pro-Russian insurgency and accused rebels of deliberately operating from civilian areas.
"We're very supportive of the Ukrainians here. It's a tough fight they're in, and we do think that the ultimate goal here needs to be these cities not being under the control of the separatists," Harf said.
Fierce fighting has killed 74 civilians over the last three days in the war-torn Donetsk region, according to local health authorities.
The separatist forces showed signs of unravelling on Thursday, with their main military chief resigning.
Russia has urged a ceasefire and is sending a convoy of nearly 300 trucks to the border.
Ukraine, as well as the United States, have insisted that the Russian convoy go through customs checks and hand over aid to the International Committee of the Red Cross for distribution.
"Russia has no right to send vehicles or persons or cargo of any kind into Ukraine without the government's explicit permission," Harf said.
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