The cease-fire period for fighting in Ukraine began one minute after midnight Sunday, bringing slim hopes of a reprieve from a grueling conflict that has killed at least 5,300 people and displaced more than 1 million.Under an agreement struck last week, Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatist rebels are to begin pulling back their heavy weaponry this week to form a wide buffer zone.But anxiety remains high that unrest could be sparked anew by rival claims to Debaltseve, a strategic railway hub now controlled by the government.The hours before the cease-fire were marked by ferocious battles as Ukrainian forces undertook desperate …read more
Source: The Jakarta Post
