Battle Persists For Ukraine Railway Hub, Despite Peace Deal

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

Feb 16, 11:58 AM EST

LUHANSKE, Ukraine (AP) -- Intense artillery exchanges between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists persisted Monday around a strategic town in eastern Ukraine - fighting that threatens to dash a cease-fire deal brokered by European leaders last week.

Under a cease-fire agreement negotiated by the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France, the warring sides are to begin withdrawing heavy weapons from the front line Tuesday. That plan already looks at risk, with the rebels saying they are not satisfied that conditions are in place for the process to go ahead.

Associated Press reporters in Luhanske, a government-held town 15 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of the bitterly contested railway hub of Debaltseve, heard sustained shelling Monday. Some of the artillery appeared to be outgoing, suggesting it was being fired by Ukrainian troops.

Debaltseve, still in government hands, remains in contention despite the cease-fire. The rebels insist the town should revert to their control because they have encircled it. A loaded Grad rocket launcher was seen pointing in the direction of Debaltseve, but it was not fired while AP journalists were present.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_UKRAINE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-02-16-11-58-35

[pampango]

1. Moscow Times: Battle Rages for Town (Debaltseve) Where Ukraine Rebels Reject Cease-Fire

Pro-Russian rebels pounded encircled Ukrainian government forces on Monday and Kiev said it would not pull back heavy guns while a truce was being violated, leaving a European-brokered peace deal on the verge of collapse.

Fighting subsided in many parts of eastern Ukraine under a cease-fire that came into force on Sunday, under the deal reached last week in marathon talks involving the leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine. But the truce appears to have been stillborn in the town of Debaltseve where the most intensive fighting has taken place in recent weeks.

Rebels said soon after it came into effect that they had no intention of observing the cease-fire at Debaltseve, where they have been advancing since January and now have a Ukrainian unit all but encircled. "You can hear there is no cease-fire," said a rebel fighter with a black ski mask who gave his name as Scorpion, his nom de guerre, and blamed the fighting on Kiev's forces. "Debaltseve is our land. And we will take Debaltseve."

Reporters near the front said Debaltseve was being relentlessly bombarded with artillery. At least six tanks as well as armored personnel carriers and artillery could be seen in woods near Vuhlehirsk, 10 kilometers (six miles) west of Debaltseve, which the rebels captured a week ago. Military trucks headed along the main road in the direction of the town to regular bursts of shelling and the firing of Grad rockets and machine guns.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/battle-rages-for-town-where-ukraine-rebels-reject-cease-fire/516017.html

[msongs]

2. "ukraine rebels" = soviet russians. nt

[newthinking]

3. There were attempts to work this out in Minsc but Poroshenko denied the situation. Leading to

this issue which could derail the accord and potentially get men unnecessarily killed.

Debaltsevo is behind the current lines. They will have to resolve it through the longer process. All they do by keeping a pocket of hostile troops behind the rebel lines is make things tense.

There is no way to proceed to the next phase (removing heavy artillary) with Ukraine troops behind the line.