Ukraine ceasefire wavers

A pro-Russian rebel is laid to rest at a makeshift funeral during a lull in shelling in Donetsk [Xinhua]

A pro-Russian rebel is laid to rest at a makeshift funeral during a lull in shelling in Donetsk [Xinhua]

The ceasefire in eastern Ukraine appears to be holding in most regions except around Donetsk Airport and the key town of Debaltseve.

Residents in the town of Myronivsky, which lies along the road to Debaltseve, say that shelling has not stopped.

The ceasefire, agreed to after long negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany in Minsk, Belorusia, was meant to go into effect early Sunday morning.

According to the provisions of the agreement, heavy artillery was to have been pulled back from the front lines to create a buffer zone no more than two days later.

But both the Ukrainian military and pro-Russian separatist rebels say they will not withdraw heavy artillery until the opposite side does so first.

They have also accused each other of breaking the ceasefire by continuing to shell enemy territory.

There are fears that such breaches could lead to a complete collapse in the ceasefire.

On Tuesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to exert more pressure on the rebels to cease firing.

Source: Agencies

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