International monitors say the EU-brokered ceasefire in Ukraine is largely “holding”, but fighting in the town of Debaltseve risks undoing the truce.
Ertugrul Apakan, the head of a special monitoring mission (SMM) operated by the OSCE, a European multilateral body, told press in Kiev on Sunday (15 February): “The ceasefire has been holding in the first 12 hours, with some exceptions, notably in Debaltseve, Raihorodka, and Lugansk”.
He said there are “numerous unconfirmed allegations regarding ceasefire violations”.
But he added: “Based on what it could hear overnight and what it could observe during the daylight, the SMM notes the ceasefire was overall respected over the first 12 hours of its implementation”.
He said the main exception was Debaltseve, where artillery fire “started” at 10am local time.
He noted that an OSCE patrol tried to enter the town, a strategic railway hub, but was “refused access” by Russia-controlled fighters.
He added that Mariupol, a strategic port in east Ukraine, is quiet. He said Donetsk witnessed one mortar round, three rocket attacks, and some small arms fire between midnight and 1am. His staff heard “outgoing” artillery rounds from Russia-occupied Lugansk at 1.45am. They also heard artillery fire in Raihorodka at 10.35am.
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https://euobserver.com/foreign/127645
