BREAKING: Semen Semenchenko, a Ukrainian member of parliament who leads a pro-government volunteer battalion, said on Facebook that Ukrainian military units were leaving the town of Debaltseve “according to plan and in an organized way." Rebels were quoted as saying hundreds of Ukrainian troops were surrendering. (Reuters, Interfax)
More from our news desk on Ukrainian forces reportedly leaving Debaltseve:
A Ukrainian member of parliament says Ukrainian forces are leaving the strategic town of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine, amid conflicting reports about the situation on the ground.
Semen Semenchenko, who leads a pro-government paramilitary unit, said on Facebook that Ukrainian troops were leaving Debaltseve "according to plan and in an organized way" but that pro-Russian rebels were trying to block their exit.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry, in turn, said "combat operations" were still underway in the Debaltseve area.
The rebels claim hundreds of Ukrainian troops have surrendered.
Debaltseve, a key transportation hub, has been at the epicenter of fighting between government forces and separatists militants.
Kyiv has called on the European Union and NATO to condemn the militants for violating the ceasefire brokered by European leaders last week.
The truce was supposed to have taken effect on February 15.
Meanwhile, in Kyiv:
Here's another update from our news desk:
Canada has imposed additional sanctions against Moscow and its sympathizers over the Ukraine conflict.
The new economic sanctions announced on February 17 target 37 Russian and Ukrainian individuals as well as 17 Russian and Ukrainian entities, including Russian's oil giant Rosneft.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said his government "remains steadfast in its commitment to stand with the people of Ukraine in the face of the Putin regime's ongoing military aggression, which has already cost the lives of more than 5,300 people."
The move was made in coordination with the European Union and the United States, which have also punished Russia for what they say is its military backing of the separatists in eastern Ukraine.
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on February 18 it "reserves the right to react accordingly" to the Canadian sanctions.
(Reuters, Interfax)