The brutal government offensive against rebel-held eastern Aleppo backed by Russian airpower has plunged Syria into some of the worst violence since the conflict erupted in March 2011.

Spokesman Jens Laerke of the United Nations humanitarian coordinator OCHA says the agency needs assurances from all sides that the fighting will definitively stop before it can provide humanitarian assistance to Aleppo, ship in aid and evacuate the sick and the wounded.

USA state department spokesman John Kirby remained cautious, saying that "it's a little too soon to tell how genuine this is and how long it's going to last".

Russian Federation has repeatedly demanded that the Syrian rebels break off from Fateh al-Sham Front, which the United Nations considers a terrorist group, as a condition to revive a ceasefire in Aleppo.

A new aerial bombardment flattened residential buildings in a rebel-controlled village in the northern province of Aleppo, killing at least 23 people.

Merkel says she and France's President Francois Hollande will discuss Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a planned meeting on Ukraine in Berlin on Wednesday, but cautioned against expecting "miracles".

In a televised meeting with military officers, Shoigu said the airstrikes ended at 10 a.m. local time (07.00GMT) and described the move as "essential" for Thursday's "humanitarian pause".

Oct 18 Russian Federation expects other countries seeking to resolve the conflict in Syria to join its efforts to normalise the situation in Aleppo after Moscow ceased air strikes on the city in a goodwill gesture, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday.

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Russian and Syrian warplanes halted their airstrikes on Syria's besieged city of Aleppo yesterday in preparation for a temporary pause in the military push that Moscow has announced for later in the week, the Russian defence minister said.

European Union foreign policy Chief Federica Mogherini says, the EU is not considering sanctioning Russian Federation over its actions in Syria. Al-Farouk Abu Bakr, an Aleppo commander in the powerful opposition group Ahrar al-Sham, said the fighters would fight on.

The EU ministers said that they would press ahead with extending sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government, but stopped short of threatening measures against Russian Federation.

Eight-hour pause in fighting announced for later this week as European Union says assault on Syrian city could amount to war crimes.

They had no immediate word on casualties. In recent months, Assad's troops have pressed its offensive into the opposition-held eastern part of the city.

A cease-fire brokered last month ended after Russian and Syrian warplanes carried out airstrikes that the West said targeted civilians and aid convoys around Aleppo.

Both Russian and Syrian air raids on Aleppo were suspended at 10am local time, Mr Shoigu said.

"We're calling on the leadership of the countries who have influence on the armed groups in the eastern part of Aleppo with a proposal to convince their leaders to stop military actions and leave the city", the statement added.