"Concerned by the situation in Ukraine as separatists refuse to observe cease-fire in Debaltseve & deny OSCE access," Breedlove said on his Twitter account Tuesday.
Concerned by the situation in #Ukraine as separatists refuse to observe cease-fire in Debaltseve & deny #OSCE access http://t.co/Omw3aEzIU8
— Phil Breedlove (@PMBreedlove) February 17, 2015
The chief of the special Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) mission to Ukraine stated Sunday that the independence supporters barred the organization’s monitors from accessing Debaltseve. Several thousand Kiev troops remain in the city.
Igor Plotnitsky, the leader of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, told RIA Novosti that he met a team of monitors Monday when he visited areas in the vicinity of the frontline in eastern Ukraine.
Earlier Tuesday, Kiev said about 2,000 of its soldiers are surrounded in Debaltseve.
Last week, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany reached a ceasefire deal in Minsk. Under the agreement, the warring sides must respect the ceasefire starting February 15, while the OSCE must closely monitor the truce.
Since Sunday, both Kiev and the independence supporters reported a number of violations, but said the truce was generally holding.