Kiev: A fragile truce between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists appeared to be holding on Tuesday as both sides made a renewed effort to silence their guns and make the much-abused ceasefire work.

Sporadic shelling and shooting, which each side has blamed on the other, had ensured a steadily mounting death toll despite the ceasefire called as part of a peace plan worked out in Minsk, Belarus, in February.

Government and separatist representatives agreed last week to strive to end all violations from Tuesday.

A Kiev military spokesman said first signs were that parties to the Minsk deal were adhering to the call for a more effective truce to mark the start of a new school year.

"As of 12 p.m. there were no reports of violations by the illegal armed groups. Now the situation is calm," the spokesman, Oleksander Motuzyanyk, said.

No soldiers had been killed or wounded over the past 24 hours, he said.