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| Ukraine crisis: President Poroshenko orders ceasefire | Ukraine crisis: President Poroshenko orders ceasefire |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ukraine's president has said a truce agreed with pro-Russian rebels in the east must be honoured, as he ordered the army to stop fighting. | Ukraine's president has said a truce agreed with pro-Russian rebels in the east must be honoured, as he ordered the army to stop fighting. |
| Petro Poroshenko also warned the rebels against continuing attacks on the besieged strategic town of Debaltseve. | Petro Poroshenko also warned the rebels against continuing attacks on the besieged strategic town of Debaltseve. |
| Fighting appeared to have died down immediately after the ceasefire took effect at 22:00 GMT. | |
| But subsequent reports from eastern Ukraine suggested there were incidents of shelling in some places. | |
| Earlier on Saturday, rebel leaders had also ordered their forces to stop fighting in line with the ceasefire. | Earlier on Saturday, rebel leaders had also ordered their forces to stop fighting in line with the ceasefire. |
| Fighting had raged near Debaltseve just hours before the truce was due to kick in. | |
| 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. | |
| The fighting followed the annexation by Russia of Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula. | |
| 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. | 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. |
| 'Last chance' | 'Last chance' |
| In a national broadcast from the military headquarters in Kiev, President Poroshenko ordered the commander of what Ukraine describes as an "anti-terror operation" to observe the ceasefire. | In a national broadcast from the military headquarters in Kiev, President Poroshenko ordered the commander of what Ukraine describes as an "anti-terror operation" to observe the ceasefire. |
| Mr Poroshenko expressed hopes that "perhaps the last chance [for peace] won't be lost", adding that agreements "must be honoured, and we are expecting that the ceasefire deal will be adhered to". | |
| The president said that there was still "alarm" over the situation around Debaltseve - a strategic transport hub, where government forces have been for days besieged by the separatists. | |
| The rebels say that they are now surrounding Debaltseve, where several thousand Ukrainian troops are believed to be stationed. Kiev denies the claim. | |
| Donetsk rebel leader Alexander Zakharchenko said earlier on Saturday that he considered the Debaltseve area was not covered by the agreed ceasefire. | |
| The truce deal was brokered on Thursday in Minsk, Belarus by Mr Poroshenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. | |
| But key issues remain to be settled, including the situation in Debaltseve. | |
| European leaders have warned Russia that it could face additional sanctions if the agreement is not respected. | |
| German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the deal offered "a glimmer of hope", but warned: "It is very important that words are followed by actions." | |
| Do you live in eastern Ukraine? What do you think about the ceasefire? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk | Do 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. |
| Have your say | Have your say |