Ukraine: Full ceasefire maintained in some areas, Kyiv reports

There was a significant decrease in attacks by pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine’s restive east on Friday night (February 27), according to the military. But, despite the two-week-old ceasefire agreement, there were reports rebels had fired GRAD missiles overnight at the town of Avdiivka, north of separatist-controlled Donetsk. Fighting in the industrialised east of Ukraine has devastated the once-booming steel sector. However, both sides said they had continued withdrawing heavy weapons from the frontline, which is point 2 of the peace plan to end a conflict in which over 5,600 people have died. Government forces announced on social media that there had been a “full ceasefire in parts of the conflict zone,” with the truce being most-fully observed in two areas: around the separatist-controlled city of Luhansk and near the government stronghold of Mariupol.