Cossack fighters celebrate as Debaltseve comes under rebel control

Rebel fighters, many of them Cossacks, roamed the streets of Debaltseve on Thursday, a day after Ukrainian forces began withdrawing from the besieged town. The mood was celebratory, with fighters laughing, hugging each other and posing for photos. Associated Press journalists drove Thursday around half of the town that has been a focal point for weeks of fierce fighting in eastern Ukraine, finding all its neighbourhoods under the control of rebel fighters.

We left under heavy fire, driving on small roads. As we were leaving, we were attacked by artillery and grenade launchers. As we moved, we came under attack by tanks and assault groups several times.

Ukrainian soldier Andrei

The town is significant for the rebels because it’s a railway junction that straddles the most direct route between Donetsk and Luhansk, the separatist region’s two main cities. However, Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said Thursday the three-week siege had left the town’s infrastructure in ruins. Dozens of Ukrainian military vehicles could be seen retreating on Thursday from Debaltseve to the government-held town of Artemivsk. Many of them were riddled with bullet holes or had their windshields destroyed.

The European governments, Germany and France together, will not ease off on doing everything so that Ukraine can go its way and have its territorial integrity — but we want to do it with Russia, not against Russia.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel

Europe