Ukraine accused pro-Russian rebels of violating a ceasefire after they said they had seized the railway hub of Debaltseve. Kiev’s comments came ahead of a Tuesday deadline under the truce deal to begin withdrawing heavy weapons from the front line.
The Ukrainian presidential office on Tuesday called on the European Union and NATO to condemn the Russia-backed rebels for violating the cease-fire after the rebels claimed to have taken the key transportation hub of Debaltseve.
Russian news agencies quoted Valery Chaly, chief of the Ukrainian presidential administration, as saying that Kiev wants the EU and NATO to “resolutely condemn” the separatists for violating the deals brokered by European leaders last week.
The war in eastern Ukraine has already killed more than 5,600 people and displaced more than a million, the United Nations said on Monday. It has also left the country’s industrial heartland in ruins.
The government troops and rebels faced a deadline Tuesday to start pulling back heavy weapons from the front line.
Rebel commander Vladimir Kononov said on Russian television that most of Debaltseve was under their control and urged the Ukrainian troops to surrender.
“Their only choice is to leave behind weaponry, lay down arms and surrender,” he said.
There was no immediate word from the Ukrainian government on the matter.
The announcement by the rebels came after fierce fighting that appeared to
be focused on Debaltseve, a government-held town surrounded by rebel forces that both sides claim to be on their side of the cease-fire line. The issue was not resolved under a cease-fire agreement negotiated last week by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France.
Also Tuesday, a deadline passed under the agreement for both sides to begin pulling back weaponry from the front line.
The rebels said they were about to begin withdrawing their big guns on some sections of the frontline. A rebel military official, Eduard Basurin, announced in a televised briefing that they “will take the initiative” and begin to pull back heavy weaponry from the frontline. He did not provide a timeline for this.
The Ukrainian presidential office on Tuesday called on the European Union and NATO to condemn the Russia-backed rebels for violating the cease-fire after the rebels claimed to have taken the key transportation hub of Debaltseve.
Russian news agencies quoted Valery Chaly, chief of the Ukrainian presidential administration, as saying that Kiev wants the EU and NATO to “resolutely condemn” the separatists for violating the deals brokered by European leaders last week.
The war in eastern Ukraine has already killed more than 5,600 people and displaced more than a million, the United Nations said on Monday. It has also left the country’s industrial heartland in ruins.
The government troops and rebels faced a deadline Tuesday to start pulling back heavy weapons from the front line.
Rebel commander Vladimir Kononov said on Russian television that most of Debaltseve was under their control and urged the Ukrainian troops to surrender.
“Their only choice is to leave behind weaponry, lay down arms and surrender,” he said.
There was no immediate word from the Ukrainian government on the matter.
The announcement by the rebels came after fierce fighting that appeared to
be focused on Debaltseve, a government-held town surrounded by rebel forces that both sides claim to be on their side of the cease-fire line. The issue was not resolved under a cease-fire agreement negotiated last week by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France.
Also Tuesday, a deadline passed under the agreement for both sides to begin pulling back weaponry from the front line.
The rebels said they were about to begin withdrawing their big guns on some sections of the frontline. A rebel military official, Eduard Basurin, announced in a televised briefing that they “will take the initiative” and begin to pull back heavy weaponry from the frontline. He did not provide a timeline for this.
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