Ukraine begins artillery withdrawal, recognizing truce is holding
Source: Reuters
(Reuters) - Ukrainian troops towed artillery away from the front line in the east on Thursday, a move that amounted to recognizing that a ceasefire meant to take effect on Feb. 15 was holding at last.
The military showed reporters seven or eight guns being towed away from the front at the village of Paraskoviyvka north of the government stronghold of Artemivsk. Earlier, Reuters journalists saw a larger convoy of 30-40 vehicles also towing guns away from the front on a highway.
The move was Kiev's most direct step to acknowledge that the ceasefire was finally holding, a week after suffering one of the worst defeats of the war at the hands of rebels who initially ignored the ceasefire to launch a major advance.
The pro-Russian rebels, who committed to the truce after their successful offensive, have been pulling back heavy weapons for two days, but Kiev had until now held back from implementing the withdrawal, arguing that fighting had not yet ceased.
Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/26/us-ukraine-crisis-idUSKBN0LU1EH20150226
Anyone want to bet how long before the Russian proxy mercenaries try to take more land? Before winter comes. Unless two things: The west helps ensure Ukraine's self-defense, or Putin's fascist oligarch buddies get sick of their investment portfolios getting trashed for the sake of Putin's "New Russia" invasion dreams.
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