More Violence in Ukraine Despite Ceasefire

The brutal fighting in Ukraine dramatically increased in intensity as the deadline for a ceasefire agreed upon in Minsk, Belarus draws closer.

Reuters reports that both sides are doing their best to inflict the most damage and make the largest territorial gains before the ceasefire takes effect at midnight, Feb. 15. The result of this increase in hostilities has been the deaths of civilians.

Two people died and six others were injured as they sat in a cafe in a Ukrainian controlled village outside Luhansk. Rebels said that shelling by Ukrainian forces resulted in the deaths of three children in Donetsk. All across the embattled eastern region, people are doing their best to survive without the hallmarks of modern living like heating, electricity, and running water.

Ukraine claims that in the last day, as negotiations between France, Russia, Germany and Ukraine wrapped up, 11 soldiers were killed and 40 injured.

The most intense fighting revolved around the Debaltseve. The crucial town lies at a rail and highway juncture. It is currently under the control of Ukrainian forces, cutting rebel held territory in two. Should the rebels gain control of Debaltseve, their territory will be easier to defend. It will also speed up the movement of troops and supplies through rebel territory, making future possible offensives easier.

Despite the new ceasefire, the European Union and United States have said the possibility of still more economics sanctions is very much alive. The Russian economy has been forced into recession since it became involved in eastern Ukraine. While the sanctions instituted by the EU and United States certainly hurt the Russian economy, the consequences of those sanctions were made more dire by the precipitous recent drop in global oil prices.

The United States and Obama Administration are currently in the midst of deciding whether or not to provide advanced weaponry to the Ukrainian Army.