A UN-backed ceasefire showed signs of taking hold in Ukraine on Wednesday, but tensions remained high after the US accused Russia of “lies” and Britain ordered a small troop deployment to train Kiev’s forces.
Russia in turn has warned it could within days cut off gas supplies to Ukraine — and, by extension, to parts of the European Union. For the first time since the European-brokered truce came into force February 15, no deaths were reported in Ukraine’s war zone by either side for the past 24 hours.
“Over the past day, one soldier was wounded but there were no dead,” Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy lysenko told journalists.
There was still no confirmation, though, from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) of a pull-back of heavy weapons from the frontline — the other key plank of the truce. Rebels insisted they were withdrawing artillery, rocket launchers and tanks from some areas, and journalists saw a column of howitzer guns being driven along a road near the separatist stronghold of Donetsk.