Battle of Debaltseve Ends in Catastrophic Ukrainian Defeat
The Ukrainian military suffered a catastrophic and embarrassing defeat against Russian backed separatists, less than a week after a supposed ceasefire was signed in Minsk, Belarus.
Reuters reports that after weeks of pitched fighting in Debaltseve, where artillery exploded every five seconds, Ukrainian forces withdrew from the strategic town. Although the ceasefire was supposed to have taken effect Feb. 15, rebel fighters refused to adhere to its terms around Debaltseve, because they claimed they were so close to taking the city that it was theirs by right.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said that the Ukrainian Army had successfully evacuated around 80 percent of its forces in Debaltseve.
The New York Times reports that the order to retreat came around 1 a.m. local time, and it took many of the Ukrainian soldiers by surprise. Even as the Ukrainians surrendered, the separatists continued to attack the Ukrainian troops, who were forced to drive through farmland because the road out of Debaltseve had been mined.
Most of the Ukrainian trucks were destroyed, forcing the soldiers to retreat on foot. Many soldiers were wounded, but had to be left behind because of the intense gunfire and lack of vehicles.
The loss of Debaltseve is devastating for the Ukrainians for two reasons. The first is that it links up the rebel capitals of Luhansk in the north and Donetsk in the south. This gives the separatists a straight line of uninterrupted territory, which is easier to defend.
The second reason Debaltseve is so critical is because it is crisscrossed by rail and road links that connect it to the rest of the country. Control of those logistical chokepoints will allow the more rapid and fluid movement of men and material around the battlefield.
The disregard for the Minsk ceasefire has led to yet more sanctions against Russia and the separatists in eastern Ukraine. Canada announced new sanctions in response to the seizure of Debaltseve, according to Reuters.
