Ukraine rebels offer safe passage to surrounded Kiev troops

(Interfax – February 16, 2015)

The self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) is ready to offer safe passage to Ukrainian troops surrounded near the settlement of Debaltseve, DNR spokesman Denis Pushilin [Denys Pushylin] has said.

“At the present moment we consider it [Debaltseve] our internal territory. We will offer safe passage to Ukrainian troops. They may withdraw without their weapons and vehicles,” Pushilin said in an interview with Russian News Service radio (Russkaya Sluzhba Novostey), quoted by privately-owned Russian news agency Interfax on 16 February.

According to Pushilin, 6,000 to 8,000 Ukrainian troops currently remain in the surrounded area.

He added that clashes near Debaltseve still occur as DNR “is forced to respond to the shelling of our settlements”.