Attacks threaten talks in Ukraine

Rockets killed more than 10 civilians and soldiers deep in Ukrainian government-held territory yesterday and rebels pushed on with an assault on an army-held rail junction, setbacks that showed Kiev’s position worsening on the eve of peace talks.

Advances by pro-Russian rebels diminished hopes of a deal when Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany hold a summit in Belarus today under a new Franco-German initiative to halt fighting in a war that has killed more than 5,000 people.

TASS news agency reported that representatives of Russia, Ukraine, the rebels and the OSCE security watchdog meeting on Tuesday before the summit in Minsk had agreed a ceasefire along with a monitoring mechanism and a scheme for the withdrawal of heavy weapons.

There was no confirmation from those taking part in the meeting of the “Contact Group” in the Belarus capital, and a rebel envoy to the talks, Denis Pushilin, told Rossiya24 television that it was too early to talk of any agreements.

European officials say it is difficult to imagine the rebels agreeing to halt and go back to earlier positions after weeks during which they have been advancing relentlessly.

The war and years of endemic corruption have nearly bankrupted Ukraine, where the currency collapsed last week. Ukraine is negotiating a rescue package with the International Monetary Fund and sources said this could be expanded dramatically to provide as much as $40 billion in aid.

RIA quoted a source in Minsk as suggesting that the main sticking point would be the demilitarised zone.

Europe’s security watchdog, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), France and Germany want Russia to oversee it. However, Moscow wants the OSCE to take control of the zone, the source was quoted as saying.

“There are no plans to sign a document after the summit of the heads of state on Wednesday. Most probably, we should expect a joint statement,” the source added.

The rebels denied firing on the town, but their apparent ability to strike so far into Ukrainian-held territory will complicate peace talks that aim to re-establish a ceasefire the separatists repudiated with a new offensive since last month.

At the front in Vuhlehirsk, a small town captured by rebels last week, volleys of artillery crashed in both directions. The rebels are pushing to encircle government forces holding out in nearby Debaltseve, a rail hub that is the main rebel target.

Rebels sounded triumphant and said they had no intention of halting while they had government troops on the back foot.

“The Debaltseve bubble has been shut firmly. We will not let them out. There is no way they can get out,” said a commander of a reconnaissance unit . ”