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Government troops ‘forced to retreat’ from key town

UKRAINIAN government troops pulled out of Debaltseve yesterday as anti-fascist forces reported capturing “hundreds” of soldiers there.

President Petro Poroshenko denied that his forces had been taken captive, saying: “Debaltseve was under our control, it was never encircled. Our troops and formations have left in an organised and planned manner.”

But video footage of soldiers taken prisoner belied his comments. Columns of retreating troops told reporters they had not been fed for days, while some added that they were not sure where they were going.

“I don’t know, our commanders didn’t tell us if it’s a retreat or just a rotation,” one soldier told the press.

Germany denounced the rebel victory as a “massive violation” of the ceasefire signed in Minsk that took effect at the weekend, but the self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic argues that the town was part of its territory and was not covered by agreements to withdraw from the front lines of the conflict.

Rebel commander Eduard Basurin said his forces were withdrawing heavy weaponry from the front.

“We’re not waiting for Ukraine to start pulling back the weaponry together with us.”

Ukrainian communists rallied outside the District Administrative Court in Kiev yesterday protesting against the case it is hearing on banning their party.

Demonstrators with banners reading: “Communist Party for Peace,” “Don’t judge beliefs” and “Destroying the Communists will finish Ukraine” celebrated a partial victory when the judge said he was unwilling to rule on the issue due to “pressure on the court by the Prosecutor General’s Office.”
However, he merely deferred the case rather than throwing it out.
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