Situation report for February 6: “Green corridor” opened in Debaltseve area

Photo: Press-center ATO

Evacuation of local residents became possible upon agreement on a temporary ceasefire in the area of Debaltseve (Donetsk oblast). Ceasefire hours will last until Saturday evening, during which authorities expect to transport all people wishing to leave the area to safe territories.

Head of the Press Center of the ATO Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said in a conversation with Capital that representatives of the armed forces of Ukraine and the Russian Federation have agreed to a temporary ceasefire on Frebuary 5. Thus, representatives of the control and coordination center for ceasefire and stabilization of the dividing line between the parties to the conflict reported that the “quiet hours” will last from 10:00 to 14:00 for Debaltseve, and from 8:00 to 10:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00 for the Debaltseve – Vuhlehirsk and Debaltseve – Artemivsk road sections. Temporary truce was declared for February 6 and 7.

The announcement of creation of the green corridor for evacuation stimulated residents in frontline towns. Representatives of the headquarters of the regional emergency commission, which is open at the Donetsk Oblast State Administration for evacuation of civilians, point to an increase in requests for transportation.

“Today we received much more requests from Debaltseve and Chernukhino than in the past few days. We register such calls and send transport to people. There are certain problems in Chernukhino – people call to complain on shelling from the ATO forces,” said a hot line employee.

Representatives of the Press Center of the ATO disprove such information. “Our position is invariable – we do not shell civilians, nor do we fire at the occupied territory, where it would harm local residents. Such facts are provocations of the enemy,” says Motuzyanyk.

Sources in the Donetsk Oblast State Administration say they are ready to evacuate everyone willing to leave the affected territories. Head of the Press Service of the State Administration Ilya Suzdalev says most requests come from the towns near Debaltseve, including Chernukhino, which is located in the neighboring Luhansk oblast.

“We will have more information in the evening, when buses will bring people. Yesterday they arrived safely, but earlier this week the buses came under fire,” he said.

Observers from the OSCE’s special monitoring mission supervise the process of evacuation of people from Debaltseve. A report will be drafted based on results of such work.

“We cannot be a party to the negotiations, let alone give any guarantees. We watch from the sidelines and we will present a detailed report,” said representative of the OSCE observation mission Iryna Hudyma.

A soldier who goes by nom-de-guerre Roman, currently deployed in Debaltseve, told Capital that the attacks and the attempts to storm positions of the Ukrainian army subsided by 8:00, but resumed closer to 15:00. “Traditionally, at 5:30 in the morning we were shelled by artillery and mortars, then we were attacked by subversive groups, there were even some hand-to-hand fights. After heavy fighting it was quiet for a while,” he said.

Despite the temporary inactivity in Debaltseve, the situation remains complex along the entire frontline of the ATO. Ukrainian positions in Donetsk and Mariupol directions were shelled. Representatives of the Press Center of the ATO say attacks have intensified in Luhansk direction, in particular, militants shelled Krymske, Novotoshkivske and Shchastya settlements.

Commander of the Karpatska Rus battalion Oleh Kutsyn told Capital that the situation in Pisky near Donetsk remained unchanged – the enemy still uses artillery and mortars in its attacks on the ATO positions.