Kiev, May 9 (IANS/EFE): Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced that nearly 7,000 people, including civilians and soldiers, have been killed during the year of armed conflict in the east of the country.

During a special session of the Ukrainian parliament marking the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in WWII on Friday, Poroshenko also noted that 1,675 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed throughout the conflict.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also attended the parliamentary session, where he expressed the international community's solidarity with the Ukrainian people in their aspiration to maintain their sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ban stressed that the UN seeks a peaceful solution to the conflict in Donbass, the area encompassing rebel strongholds in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Lugansk.

Following Ban's visit to Kiev to discuss the Ukrainian crisis, he will attend Russia's Victory Day military parade on Saturday in Red Square.