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[h=4]Ukrainian president: Most troops withdrawn from Debaltseve[/h]Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says Ukraine has pulled most of its troops out of the key railway hub of Debaltseve in the east of the country
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Ukrainian troops and Russian-backed separatists continue to fight in a highly contested area of Ukraine. Under a recent cease-fire agreement, both sides were to begin withdrawing heavy weaponry on Tuesday. (Feb. 17) AP
Ukrainian government soldiers sit on top of their armored vehicle driving on a road stretching away from the town of Artemivsk, Ukraine, towards Debaltseve, Tuesday, Feb. 17.(Photo: Petr David Josek, AP)
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko says Ukraine has pulled most of its troops out of the key railway hub of Debaltseve in the east of the country
On his official Twitter account, Poroshenko said that the Ukrainian army has withdrawn 80% of its troops and two more columns have yet to leave. He was traveling to eastern Ukraine on Wednesday to "shake hands" of the soldiers who were pulled out of Debaltseve.
In televised comments, he denied claims by the Russia-backed separatists that the Ukrainians were encircled and said the troops are leaving Debaltseve with weapons and ammunition.
Debaltseve was under our control, it was never encircled. Our troops and formations have left in an organized and planned manner," he said.
Russia-backed separatists reported taking hundreds of soldiers captive as they continued their onslaught around the town, which links the separatist cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. The fighting has continued despite a cease-fire deal going into effect on Sunday.
USA TODAY
Rebels claim key Ukraine city as pullback deadline passes
Rebel spokesman Eduard Basurin said hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers had surrendered in Debaltseve. Russian state-owned television on Wednesday showed images of several dozen Ukrainian troops being escorted along a village road by the rebels.
Ukrainian military spokesman Anatoliy Stelmakh said in a televised briefing Wednesday that the rebels launched five artillery strikes on Debaltseve overnight, "grossly violating the peace accords."
It comes the day after Vice President Joe Biden condemned violations of the cease-fire, and said that if Russia keeps violating the agreements reached with Ukraine, costs for Russia will increase.
The White House says the violation occurred in and around Debaltseve, and that it was confirmed by special monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which is responsible for monitoring the cease-fire.
Biden, who spoke with Poroshenko by phone Tuesday, also condemned Russia and separatists for blocking the monitors' access and said it has allowed the separatists to continue attacks.
Observers from the OSCE have attempted to go to Debaltseve since Sunday but have been blocked by the rebels. The separatists' Donetsk News Agency on Wednesday quoted rebel official Maxim Leshchenko saying that the OSCE will be allowed to visit Debaltseve "soon" once their forces have finished the operation there.
Under an agreement deal brokered Thursday in Minsk, Belarus, among the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany, the cease-fire was due to start Sunday and the warring sides were to begin withdrawing heavy weapons from the front line Tuesday.
USA TODAY
Ukraine cease-fire ignored around key railway hub
Rebel leaders said on Wednesday that they have begun the withdrawal of heavy weaponry from the parts of the frontline where the cease-fire holds.
Eduard Basurin told Russian Rossiya 1 channel that they are pulling back five self-propelled guns from Olenivka, south of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk on the road to the government-controlled port of Mariupol.
"This is the first step,"he said. "And we're not waiting for Ukraine to start pulling back the weaponry together with us."
The UN Security Council voted unanimously to approve a Russian-drafted resolution to endorse the ceasefire deal Tuesday.
U.S. ambassador Samanatha Power said Russia must stop arming the separatists, which Russia denies.
"Stop sending hundreds of heavy weapons across the border in addition to your troops," she said. "Stop pretending you are not doing what you are doing. Russia signs agreements then does everything within its power to undermine them," she added. "Russia champions the sovereignty of nations and then acts as a neighbour's borders do not exist."
Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said her comments were "offensive."Since the very start of the crisis, Russia has actively called for a peaceful settlement through inclusive, transparent dialogue between all sides in the internal Ukrainian conflict," he said.
In a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Poroshenko said the assault on Debaltseve was a "cynical attack" on the truce, the Times of London reported.
He called for the European Union and the international community to take a "tough reaction against the treacherous actions of the rebels and Russia," the paper reported.
Contributing: Associated Press
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