Just two days later, a different leader said rebels were ready to take over the city and claimed Ukrainian soldiers were forced to flee their positions.
“Within the next few days, maybe even today, Debaltsevo will be placed under control of the DPR and LPR [Luhansk People’s Republic] army,” Vladimir Kononov, the self proclaimed defense minister of the DPR, told Russian state news agency Itar-Tass. Kononov confirmed that snipers and brigades were active in the area.
A Ukrainian government official, Ilya Kiva, said the rebels used small arms and grenades. Kiva claimed Ukrainian troops did not return fire because they were not permitted to do so under the ceasefire.
The tense situation has prevented members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) from reaching Debaltsevo.
Article Appeared @http://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-russia-truce-crumbles-rebels-press-debaltsevo-307487