Ukraine Truce Still Holding But Both Sides Are Now Regrouping Their Forces

Members of the Ukrainian armed forces ride on an armoured personnel carrier near Artemivsk, eastern Ukraine, February 28, 2015. Credit: Reuters/Gleb Garanich

Reuters: Ukraine military says rebels using truce to regroup



(Reuters) - Ukraine's military said on Sunday a ceasefire had been fully observed in eastern separatist territories overnight, but warned that pro-Russian rebels were using the truce to regroup for new attacks on government positions.



A drop in violence and moves by both sides to withdraw heavy weapons from the front line had raised hopes a shaky two-week-old ceasefire could hold.



"In order to mislead OSCE representatives, the rebels are moving military equipment from the front line ... and bringing it back at night," military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said.



"There are signs the enemy is preparing for further offensives," he said, naming as major targets government-held Mariupol, a strategic port city, and Artemivsk, north of the rebel stronghold of Donetsk.



WNU Editor: The truce is holding .... Ukraine Truce Holding as Shelling Halted, Government Says (Bloomberg)..... but both sides are also regrouping .... and absent any real political discussions and negotiations between the two sides .... it is only a matter of time before this war resumes.



But the real crisis in Ukraine right now is not the war, but the destruction of the economy .... Ukraine unofficially has 272 percent inflation (Washington Post). Everyone that I know in Ukraine .... my relatives, friends, associates, etc. .... everyone is in panic mode right now.