REUTERS

"The United States is gravely concerned by the deteriorating situation in and around Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine,” the U.S. State Department said in a press release issued on Monday.

“The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission confirms that attacks continue in this area as well as other locations, including Sievierodonetsk, Luhansk, and Donetsk city. The government of Ukraine reports that its forces have been fired on 129 times in the last 24 hours by Russia-backed separatists, killing five and wounding 25, including attacks on a convoy evacuating the wounded from Debaltseve. 

“The separatists have publicly declared that they refuse to observe the ceasefire in Debaltseve, and OSCE monitors have not been provided security guarantees for access. These aggressive actions and statements by the Russia-backed separatists threaten the most recent ceasefire and jeopardize the planned withdrawal of heavy weapons, as called for in the February 12 Minsk packet of implementing measures.

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“We are closely monitoring reports of a new column of Russian military equipment moving toward Debaltseve.”

The United States called on Russia and the separatists it backs to "halt all attacks immediately" and engage with the OSCE to facilitate the cease-fire as called for in the Minsk agreements.

 As UNIAN reported earlier, on February 12, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President François Hollande held talks in Minsk to resolve the conflict in the Donbas.

Following the talks, the parties approved a package of measures aimed at the implementation of the Minsk agreements of September. In addition to other provisions of the new agreements reached by the "Normandy Four" leaders (of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany), the parties agreed on a ceasefire from 0000, February 15, as well as the withdrawal of all heavy weapons within 48 hours.

Despite the fact that a ceasefire was supposed to come into force, fighting has continued in the area near Debaltseve. OSCE Chairman and Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ivica Dačić on Monday called on all parties to the conflict to refrain from acts that jeopardize the truce.

President Poroshenko, President Hollande and Chancellor Merkel also expressed their concern at the continued fighting.