New shelling in east Ukraine, regular Russian troops near Debaltseve after peace summit - Inforesist
New shelling has started in rebel-held eastern Ukraine a day after Russia and European leaders agreed on a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the 10-month war.
Terrorists keep making assaults in spite of losing 8 armoured vehicles and 10 military automobiles, Dmytro Tymchuk, a coordinator of group Information Resistance, said on Facebook.
According to ATO press centre, Russian-backed militants opened fire on the positions of Ukrainians 69 times on February, 12.
Fierce fighting for the railway town of Debaltseve, a strategically important road hub, has been in progress since late January, Tymchuk stresses. He says Russia has increased presence of its regular troops near Debaltseve after the summit:
He also gave his comment on the recent Minsk agreements.
“A document entitled A set of measures to implement the Minsk agreements, that has been signed in Minsk, is [truly] brilliant. [But] only if we’ve decided to bid farewell to Donbas as an integral part of Ukraine. First of all, in the course of negotiations and ‘coercing’ the terrorists to peace, everything from the beginning has been turned on its head. In other words – the EU and Kyiv somehow missed this basic point that we are talking about the external aggression of Russia against Ukraine. At that time, without a recognition of Russia’s responsibility for events in Donbas, all attempts at a ‘peaceful settlement’ have no sense,” he said.
The continuing fighting between government forces and pro-Russian rebels occurred early on Friday in the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk, local residents reported.
Eastern districts of the city of Luhansk are also war-bent, rbc.ru says. There is power supply shortage and lack of communication in the city. According to eyewitnesses, several block of flats and plant facilities are on fire.
8 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and 34 have been injured in the war zone for the day gone, Ukraine’s General Staff reports.
