Rebels on the frontline

Rebels on the frontline

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A member of the armed forces of the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic looks on near a building destroyed during battles with the Ukrainian armed forces in the town of Vuhlehirsk in Donetsk.

Pro-Russian rebels appeared to be in full control on Wednesday of the town that has been a principal target of their advance, as they attempt to surround a nearby garrison of Ukrainian forces.

. Vuhlehirsk, Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

The apparent fall of Vuhlehirsk would be a setback for Kiev, which has been trying to defend it and the larger neighbouring town of Debaltseve, an important rail hub, from encirclement by advancing rebels.

In Vuhlehirsk, shattered from the combat, the covered body of a member of the armed forces of the separatists, who was killed in battle with the Ukrainian armed forces, lies on the street.

. Vuhlehirsk, Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

The town, with around 9,000 people before the war, has been one of the main targets of the rebel advance, sitting in a pocket of government-held territory surrounded on three sides by rebel territory and straddling road and rail routes linking major rebel strongholds.

The rebels, some gathered above near a burnt armoured vehicle, say they had no choice but to advance, to make the cities they control more secure and push back government artillery which had been killing civilians.

. Donetsk, Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Pro-Russian separatists ride on a tank in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, February 1, 2015.

Ukraine says its military is outgunned by the heavy weaponry rebels have received from Russia. But the prospect of new arms arriving from the United States raises the risk of escalating the war.

. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Fighting in a war which has already killed more than 5,000 people has reached an intensity unseen since before a ceasefire in September. An attempt to revive peace talks collapsed on Saturday.

Ukrainian forces are still holed up in neighbouring Debaltseve, a major rail town of about three times the size and an important stopping point for goods traffic by rail from Russia. Taking the two would link up the main rebel strongholds of Luhansk and Donetsk.

. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Convoys of buses carrying many local residents to safety left the besieged town of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine on Friday as government forces kept up artillery fire to defend their positions against pro-Russian separatists.

Hundreds of civilians were waiting, on a frosty day, to board and leave the town either to Ukrainian or rebel-held territory. An estimated 3,000 people still remained in the town which had a population of around 25,000 before the conflict, a Ukrainian government official said.

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Slideshow

Ukrainian servicemen keep watch at no-man's land outside Debaltseve.
. Donetsk region, Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Ukrainian servicemen keep watch at no-man's land outside Debaltseve.

A member of the armed forces of the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic walks near a burnt tank turret in Vuhlehirsk.
. Vuhlehirsk, Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

A member of the armed forces of the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic walks near a burnt tank turret in Vuhlehirsk.

A municipal official looks through the window of a residential block, which was damaged by a shelling according to locals, in Donetsk.
. DONETSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

A municipal official looks through the window of a residential block, which was damaged by a shelling according to locals, in Donetsk.

A woman stands in her house, which was damaged by shelling in central Donetsk.
. Donetsk, Ukraine. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

A woman stands in her house, which was damaged by shelling in central Donetsk.

Men remove a broken window near the body of a victim of shelling.
. DONETSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

Men remove a broken window near the body of a victim of shelling.

Wrapped bodies of shelling victims are loaded into a vehicle in Donetsk.
. DONETSK, Ukraine. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko

Wrapped bodies of shelling victims are loaded into a vehicle in Donetsk.

A woman reacts as she stands near a multi-storey block of flats damaged by shelling in Yenakieve town, northeast of Donetsk.
. Yenakieve, Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

A woman reacts as she stands near a multi-storey block of flats damaged by shelling in Yenakieve town, northeast of Donetsk.

A man stands in a flat at a residential block damaged by recent shelling in Yenakieve town.
. Yenakieve, Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

A man stands in a flat at a residential block damaged by recent shelling in Yenakieve town.

Local residents gather inside a bomb shelter in Debaltseve.
. Debaltseve, Ukraine. REUTERS/Maksim Levin

Local residents gather inside a bomb shelter in Debaltseve.

A local resident cooks outside her house as children play nearby in Debaltseve.
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

A local resident cooks outside her house as children play nearby in Debaltseve.

A member of the Ukrainian armed forces offers local residents to join people who are boarding a bus and fleeing from military conflict in Debaltseve.
. Debaltseve, Ukraine. REUTERS/Sergey Polezhaka

A member of the Ukrainian armed forces offers local residents to join people who are boarding a bus and fleeing from military conflict in Debaltseve.

A woman cries as she flees the conflict in Debaltseve.
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

A woman cries as she flees the conflict in Debaltseve.

Local residents wait to board a bus to flee the conflict in Debaltseve.
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Local residents wait to board a bus to flee the conflict in Debaltseve.

Local residents flee the conflict in Debaltseve.
. DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Local residents flee the conflict in Debaltseve.