This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/16/world/europe/despite-truce-shelling-continues-in-parts-of-ukraine.html

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Despite Truce, Shelling Continues in Parts of Ukraine Despite Truce, Shelling Continues in Parts of Ukraine
(35 minutes later)
LUHANSKOYE, Ukraine — The Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatists blamed each other on Sunday for a multitude of violations of a cease-fire during the first day the accord took effect. LUHANSKOYE, Ukraine — The Ukrainian military and Russian-backed separatists blamed each other on Sunday for violations of a cease-fire during the first day the accord took effect.
Some lingering violence was expected, given the recent intensity of the combat, yet over all, Ukrainian officials said, the accord reached last week was holding.Some lingering violence was expected, given the recent intensity of the combat, yet over all, Ukrainian officials said, the accord reached last week was holding.
A lull following the midnight cease-fire deadline was in turn followed Sunday morning by a resumption of shelling near the disputed town of Debaltseve, where the fate of about 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers remained an unresolved sticking point in the negotiations.A lull following the midnight cease-fire deadline was in turn followed Sunday morning by a resumption of shelling near the disputed town of Debaltseve, where the fate of about 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers remained an unresolved sticking point in the negotiations.
By around midday, the conflict picked up. Shells and rockets flew in both directions over the front line at a location in Ukrainian-held territory about nine miles north of Debaltseve.By around midday, the conflict picked up. Shells and rockets flew in both directions over the front line at a location in Ukrainian-held territory about nine miles north of Debaltseve.
The separatists had violated the cease-fire 10 times at various locations, a Ukrainian military spokesman, Anatoliy Stelmakh, said in a statement on Sunday. A local official said two people had died in shelling.The separatists had violated the cease-fire 10 times at various locations, a Ukrainian military spokesman, Anatoliy Stelmakh, said in a statement on Sunday. A local official said two people had died in shelling.
The separatists said the Ukrainian Army had opened fire and their forces had needed to respond, a rebel news agency, DAN, quoted Eduard Basurin, the military spokesman for the Donetsk People’s Republic, as saying. “Units were forced to open fire in response,” Mr. Basurin said.The separatists said the Ukrainian Army had opened fire and their forces had needed to respond, a rebel news agency, DAN, quoted Eduard Basurin, the military spokesman for the Donetsk People’s Republic, as saying. “Units were forced to open fire in response,” Mr. Basurin said.
A rebel leader had cautioned on Saturday that the accord would not apply in the area of Debaltseve, if the Ukrainian Army tried to break out of what he said was an encirclement. A rebel leader had warned on Saturday that the accord would not apply in the area of Debaltseve, if the Ukrainian Army tried to break out of what he said was an encirclement.
The artillery fire heard by reporters on Sunday was near Ukraine’s only resupply road into the town, a poorly defended area that had also been the focus of a battle that escalated between the cease-fire’s signing on Thursday and its implementation Saturday at midnight. Artillery fire heard by reporters on Sunday was near Ukraine’s only resupply road into the town, a poorly defended area that had also been the focus of a battle that escalated between the cease-fire’s signing on Thursday and its implementation Saturday at midnight.
On Sunday, residents began stirring from their bunkers and basements and assessing the damage.On Sunday, residents began stirring from their bunkers and basements and assessing the damage.
Here in Luhanskoye, the last accessible Ukrainian-controlled village, soldiers were out smoking amid a panoramic scene of destruction — discarded ammunition boxes, broken tree limbs, shattered glass and other detritus of battle. Not a single house had its windows intact. Here in Luhanskoye, the last accessible Ukrainian-controlled village, soldiers stood outside smoking against a backdrop of destruction — discarded ammunition boxes, broken tree limbs, shattered glass and other detritus of battle. Not a single house had its windows intact.
Illustrating how poorly the army is equipped, one soldier was using the lull to repair a battery for his armored personnel carrier, saying he had no spare.Illustrating how poorly the army is equipped, one soldier was using the lull to repair a battery for his armored personnel carrier, saying he had no spare.
Kneeling in a muddy street, he melted a piece of plastic with a cigarette lighter and allowed the blobs to plug a leak in the plastic wall of the battery.Kneeling in a muddy street, he melted a piece of plastic with a cigarette lighter and allowed the blobs to plug a leak in the plastic wall of the battery.
A lone pedestrian picked his way through craters on a street, carrying a bag of bread he said he would feed to his chickens that had not been cared for since Thursday. He was not sure how many had made it. “It’s not a big deal,” he said. “But I do want to keep them.”A lone pedestrian picked his way through craters on a street, carrying a bag of bread he said he would feed to his chickens that had not been cared for since Thursday. He was not sure how many had made it. “It’s not a big deal,” he said. “But I do want to keep them.”
Despite the continued shelling, some residents in these front-line villages said they were focused on the benefits the deal had already brought.Despite the continued shelling, some residents in these front-line villages said they were focused on the benefits the deal had already brought.
Aleksei V. Kravchenko, 73, a retiree in Svitlodarsk, was watching plumbers repair a water pipe burst in a artillery strike on Saturday before the cease-fire took effect. Aleksei V. Kravchenko, 73, a retiree in Svitlodarsk, watched plumbers repair a water pipe burst in a artillery strike on Saturday, before the cease-fire took effect.
He said he wanted to thank Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany for negotiating the truce, despite its limitations, on behalf of his grandchildren. Mr. Kravchenko had built a bomb shelter in his basement, laying out mats and setting up candles, and had spent nights with the children during the shelling.He said he wanted to thank Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany for negotiating the truce, despite its limitations, on behalf of his grandchildren. Mr. Kravchenko had built a bomb shelter in his basement, laying out mats and setting up candles, and had spent nights with the children during the shelling.
”They would say, ‘Grandpa, I don’t want to die young,’ and I held them, and they were shaking, and I looked in their eyes, and they were afraid,” he said. “Now we are hoping.””They would say, ‘Grandpa, I don’t want to die young,’ and I held them, and they were shaking, and I looked in their eyes, and they were afraid,” he said. “Now we are hoping.”