The US on Tuesday accused separatist fighters and Russian forces of violating the Minsk ceasefire and warned Moscow it would face increased penalties if it continued to behave aggressively .
Joe Biden, the US vice-president, "strongly condemned the violation of the ceasefire by separatist forces acting in concert with Russian forces, in and around the town of Debaltseve," the White House said in a statement after he spoke with President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine.
The war in eastern Ukraine has already killed more than 5,600 people and displaced more than a million, the United Nations said on Monday. It has also left the country's industrial heartland in ruins.
On Tuesday, a deadline passed for both sides to begin pulling back heavy weapons from the front line, according to the deal agreed between the leaders of France, Germany, Russian and Ukraine last week in Minsk to end the fighting.
"If Russia continues to violate the Minsk agreements, including the most recent agreement signed on February 12, the costs to Russia will rise," the White House statement added.
Mr Biden and Mr Poroshenko said the ceasefire violation was confirmed by the Special Monitoring Mission of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
"The vice-president also strongly condemned Russia and the separatists for blocking access to Debaltseve by OSCE monitors, which is allowing the separatists to continue their attacks without inhibition," the White House said.
Mr Poroshenko, in a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the assault on Debaltseve, a strategic rail hub in Ukraine's east, was a "cynical attack" on the truce brokered last week.
Ukrainian officials admitted that pro-Russian rebels had taken parts of the town and surrounded some of the army units there, but said fierce fighting was continuing.
"The hopes of the world for peace are being destroyed," the deputy head of Ukraine's presidential administration, Valeriy Chaly, said.
(The Telegraph)
