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Ukraine crisis: Monitors to try to reach Debaltseve Ukraine crisis: Debaltseve clashes undermine ceasefire
(about 7 hours later)
Observers are to try again to reach the besieged Ukrainian town of Debaltseve, where fighting has continued despite a ceasefire. Fighting is continuing in eastern Ukraine more than a day after a ceasefire was supposed to take effect.
The OSCE were denied access to Debaltseve by pro-Russian rebels on Sunday, the European security group said. The Ukrainian military command said the pro-Russian rebels had attacked 112 times since early Sunday, mostly in the bitterly contested Debaltseve area.
Separatists have said they have the town encircled so it should be considered theirs. A Ukrainian officer said there was also fighting near Mariupol, a port city.
In other areas of Ukraine the ceasefire has broadly been observed. The rebels accused Ukrainian forces of shelling Donetsk airport. Meanwhile, further EU sanctions against Russia have gone into effect.
But the exception has been Debaltseve, a key transport hub, which has seen some of the fiercest fighting in recent weeks. The new sanctions list targets 19 officials - most of them in the pro-Russian separatist strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk, but also two Russian deputy defence ministers and a Russian celebrity singer and MP, Iosif Kobzon.
Although the fighting was reported to have lowered in intensity, shelling continued through Sunday. Armed separatist groups are also targeted, including a Cossack formation. Those listed are now subject to visa bans and asset freezes across the EU.
"Of course we can open fire (on Debaltseve). It is our territory," Eduard Basurin, a rebel commander, told Reuters. Russia is accused of fomenting the revolt in eastern Ukraine and giving the separatists reinforcements and heavy weapons. Russia denies doing so, but admits that Russian "volunteers" are fighting there.
"The territory is internal, ours. And internal is internal. But along the line of confrontation there is no shooting." In the past 24 hours, five Ukrainian soldiers died in fighting at Shirokyne, near Mariupol, the Ukrainian military said.
Meanwhile, a military spokesman said Ukrainian troops had come under fire 60 times in the hours after the truce came into force, AFP reports. Observers from the OSCE security body are to try again to reach the besieged Ukrainian town of Debaltseve. They said they were denied access by the rebels on Sunday.
But both sides have said that in most of the country, the ceasefire held on Sunday. The rebels say they have the town encircled so it should be considered theirs.
On Monday, rebel commanders said there were no grounds yet to withdraw heavy weapons from the combat zone. The withdrawal is supposed to start on Monday, under the Minsk agreement.
"Heavy weapons will be withdrawn if the Minsk accords are observed. Those conditions are not in place yet," said rebel defence spokesman Eduard Basurin.
Rebel "defence minister" Vladimir Kononov said: "We will withdraw heavy weapons from the contact line if we get a definite sign that the Ukrainian side has started doing the same thing".
On the Ukrainian side, a military spokesman quoted by Reuters news agency said there would be no withdrawal of heavy weapons yet because the rebels were violating the ceasefire.
Elsewhere on the front line reports say the ceasefire has broadly been observed.
Crucial periodCrucial period
Monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said that as of Sunday evening, "the ceasefire had been holding in the first 18 hours, with some exceptions, notably in Debaltseve, Raihorodka and Luhansk city". According to the Minsk agreement, reached last week, the ceasefire is only the first step. It should be followed on day two by a withdrawal of heavy weapons - lasting two weeks - to create buffer zones 50-140km (30-85 miles) wide.
The monitoring mission said that on Monday it would "further seek full access, including to Debaltseve, and areas where violations have been reported".
Despite the ceasefire, the EU is expected to proceed with adding 19 new names of Russians and Ukrainians subject to travel bans and asset freezes for their roles in the conflict.
European leaders have warned Russia that it could face additional sanctions if the 13-point Minsk ceasefire agreement is not respected.
Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of sending troops and weapons to help the separatists in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions - a claim the Kremlin vehemently denies.
On Sunday leaders of the four countries that negotiated the truce last week - France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia - held further talks, agreeing to move towards implementing the next stage of the latest Minsk deal.
According to the agreement, cessation of hostilities is only the first step and should be followed on day two of the ceasefire by the start of the withdrawal of heavy weapons to create two demilitarised buffer zones between 50-140km (30-85 miles) wide.
Analysts point out that previous ceasefires initially appeared to be holding but eventually failed, and say the next 48 hours are critical.Analysts point out that previous ceasefires initially appeared to be holding but eventually failed, and say the next 48 hours are critical.
Officials say more than 5,400 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in eastern Ukraine in April, but the UN believes the actual death toll to be much higher.Officials say more than 5,400 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in eastern Ukraine in April, but the UN believes the actual death toll to be much higher.
An EU official said the latest sanctions were intended to punish the Russian-backed rebels for a rocket attack on Mariupol last month which killed more than 30 civilians.
"The sanctions were meant to come into force last week, but they were postponed because the EU didn't want to interfere with the Minsk talks. But they always intended to implement these sanctions, and today, they have," the official said.
The sanctions are intended to dissuade Russia from further action, the official added.
"The EU is ready to reverse them when Russia shows willingness to find a political solution. Minsk is a step in the right direction, but now the EU needs to see the ceasefire enter into force," he said.
Do you live in eastern Ukraine? What do you think about the ceasefire? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.ukDo you live in eastern Ukraine? What do you think about the ceasefire? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
Please include a contact number if you wish to be contacted by a BBC journalist.Please include a contact number if you wish to be contacted by a BBC journalist.
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