Ukraine in Arabic | Frontline east Ukraine: Situation around Debaltseve and Mariupol remains tense
Kiev/Ukraine in Arabic/ Ukrainian military reports it repelled insurgent attacks, destroying several tanks.
The area around Debaltseve in east Ukraine remained tense Friday morning after Ukrainian forces destroyed several tanks belonging to Russian-backed militants, according to the Ukrainian military.
The militants have continued to attack Ukrainian positions in the area. The insurgents reportedly also re-deployed their forces in the direction of the strategic port city of Mariupol. Ukrainian officials said they had succeeded in stopping the attack and driving back the militants.
Fighting in east Ukraine has intensified over the past week. A shelling attack on January 24 on Mariupol claimed 31 civilian lives, with the OSCE saying that the fire came from insurgent-held territory. In the wake of the atrocity the European Union has increased sanctions on Russia and voted to keep them in place for at least six more months.