Eduard Basurin

Ukraine's president has made an impassioned plea to Western allies to speed arms deliveries and help stem "terrifying" casualties as Russian forces lay siege to the eastern city of Severodonetsk, destroying the last bridges into the industrial hub.

This was stated by the Deputy Chief of the People's Militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DNR), Eduard Basurin.
"According to our information, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are carrying out activities that we consider preparations for offensive operations," Basurin wrote on the Telegram channel of the DNR militia.

A truce between government forces and pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine will come into force on Feb. 20, Moscow and Kiev said, though some separatists were already labelling it unfeasible.

The Feb. 18 announcement comes after nearly 30 people lost their lives as violence flared again earlier this month in a conflict that has left more than 10,000 people dead since April 2014.

Ukraine said five of its troops were killed Dec. 18 by pro-Russian insurgents in the bloodiest clash in the war-scarred ex-Soviet republic in months.

Kyiv military spokesman Leonid Matyukhin told AFP that another six soldiers were wounded in the battle for control of the strategic city of Debaltseve.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko warned June 4 of the "colossal threat" of a resumption of major clashes in eastern Ukraine where at least 24 people have died in renewed fighting between government forces and pro-Russian rebels.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has confirmed that pro-Russian rebels have pulled back a vast part of their heavy arms, adding most of the government forces' weapons have also been removed.

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) in Ukraine plans to complete on Sunday the withdrawal of heavy weapons from the front line as required by the latest Minsk agreement, ITAR-TASS reported.

"Today we are finalising the withdrawal," Eduard Basurin, a representative of DPR's  defence ministry told the news agency.

The German government on Monday voiced concerns over the lack of a comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine which should have taken effect more than a week ago.

Germany is not satisfied with the course of implementation of the agreements reached in Minsk, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said.

A senior pro-Russian rebel commander said separatist forces were due to begin withdrawing heavy weapons from the front line in east Ukraine on Feb. 22, a sign rebels may be prepared to halt their advance as part of an internationally brokered peace deal.
   

Part of Ukraine's armed forces have left the beleaguered hub of Debaltseve in the country's east, its President Poroshenko has confirmed.

Intention to leave the city was declared as early as Tuesday evening, hours after the withdrawal of heavy armor failed to begin amid accusations from both rebels and the Kiev army of numerous ceasefire violations.