Kiev: A bomb blast killed two at a march in east Ukraine today on the first anniversary of the ouster of the country's Russia-friendly president, a gruesome counterpoint to the hopes spawned by a cease-fire agreement more than a week ago.

An exchange of prisoners this weekend and acknowledgment by both sides of a commitment to pull back heavy weapons are promising signs that peace may yet prevail, although sporadic exchanges of hostilities between government and separatist forces have yet to subside entirely.