The Battle of Debaltseve

In July 2014 Russian hybrid forces launched an offensive on Debaltseve. A strategically important town in Eastern Ukraine, it served as a major railway hub and lies on the main highway connecting the occupied cities of Luhansk and Donetsk. This made it a key target.

Even after the first Minsk Ceasefire Agreement was signed in Sep. 2014, Russian-led units continued to try to seize Debaltseve. Their deadline was Feb. 12 of 2015 when the second Minsk Agreement was due to be signed. They failed.

The Ukrainian army still controlled the town at the beginning of February. According to the signed documents, Debaltseve had to stay under the control of Ukrainian troops. Despite the Minsk Accords, the Russian proxy forces surrounded the town on three sides. They outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainian soldiers and volunteers who came under intense artillery bombardments and sniper fire.

By Feb. 18, Ukrainian forces withdrew from the town. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, 179 soldiers died in the battle of Debaltseve. More than 300 were wounded.