Western countries pour scorn on Russia's denials that it aids the rebels. The rebel advance drew denunciations from Western powers who accused Moscow of sending its armed forces to fight on behalf of the separatists in clear violation of the ceasefire negotiated with Germany and France last week in the Belarus capital Minsk. Hours before the town fell, President Vladimir Putin told Ukraine it should let its men surrender to save their lives. Security Council resolution that called on all sides to cease fighting, Russia never criticised the rebel advance on Debaltseve. They began shooting at residential areas of Debaltseve,' said a senior rebel commander, Eduard Basurin.ĭespite drafting a U.N. The surrounded Ukrainian forces were completely demoralised. 'There were no attempts by Ukrainian forces to break through. The rebels described the battle as a victory and said they let the Ukrainian troops leave only after they were defeated. He said the force withdrawing numbered more than 2,000 men. Eighty percent of the troops had withdrawn from the town by morning, Poroshenko said, and the rest were leaving in what he described as a planned and orderly withdrawal.
