Some 90 Ukrainian troops captured, 82 missing

More than 90 Ukrainian troops were captured and 82 are still missing after pro-Russian rebels seized the key town of Debaltseve, Ukraine’s army says.

The Ukrainian military says that it has mobilized “certain forces” to search for the missing and asked observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to help to locate them.

Also, Ukrainian forces retreat from the key railway hub Wednesday after a fierce onslaught by separatist fighters that Kiev claims are armed by Moscow and include regular Russian troops.

In a statement, Ukraine’s general staff says that 13 soldiers have been killed and 157 wounded during the withdrawal.

Kiev’s military claims that its forces have captured “several dozen” rebel fighters in Debaltseve and are holding them for questioning.

— AFP