KIEV, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Government forces had withdrawn from the contested town of Debaltseve in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said on Wednesday.
"This morning the Ukrainian armed forces together with the National Guard completed an operation for a planned and organized withdrawal from Debaltseve," Poroshenko said in an audio message released by his press service.
Poroshenko said 80 percent of forces had been withdrawn from Debaltseve, while two more columns were expected to pull out.
However, the withdrawal was clouded by an EU accusation that Ukrainian separatist forces violated a ceasefire.
"The actions by the Russia-backed separatists in Debaltseve are a clear violation of the ceasefire," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherinisaid in a statement.
"The separatists must stop all military activities. Russia and the separatists have to immediately and fully implement the commitments agreed to in Minsk, in line with yesterday's U.N. Security Council resolution, starting with the respect of the ceasefire and the withdrawal of all heavy weapons," she added, warning that the EU stands ready to take appropriate action.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday the ceasefire was almost entirely in place with the exception of the besieged town of Debaltseve.
"The ceasefire is being observed along practically the entire frontline and in a few regions there is a readiness - at least the militia announced it publicly - to withdraw heavy weapons. The exception is the Debaltseve 'cauldron'," Lavrov told a news conference.
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