Situationen i Ukraina just nu, del 3

Ukraine says it has evacuated 956 locals from Debaltseve, who have been without water, heat, and electricity for nearly two weeks since the offensive began, over the last few days. Those efforts, though, clearly still have a long way to go. Residents fled north on Sunday to the relative safety of Artemivsk in private cars, buses, and even 18-wheeler trucks, while locals said there were at least several hundred of them still in Debalsteve.

Further rebel advances may make their escape even more precarious. Continued fighting across the only safe road north has already severely damaged the main bridge, now partially held together with tank treads.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/as-ukraine-peace-talks-collapse-civilians-flee-however-they#.psjEWKbme

An ashen-faced man in a loose-fitting military uniform shuffles past a blood-soaked stretcher propped against the wall. Slowly stirring a cup of tea, he watches Ukrainian military officials announce the day’s casualties – one killed and 20 wounded.

“Don’t believe what they tell you,” he says, checking the door is closed before continuing.

“There are many, many more. At least 280 were injured in just one day last week and 30 or 40 killed. There were many more killed this week, Debaltseve and Konstantinovka are the worst cities now. I take 18 wounded to Kharkiv myself every day.”

The man, who didn’t want to be named, is a medic in Ukraine’s overstretched, under-resourced army. Clearly traumatized, he speaks quietly and hesitantly, barely audible over the low rumble of artillery fire from the outskirts of town.

His words confirm Ukraine’s worst-kept secret - that the Ukrainian army is drastically understating its casualties. But only now is the scale of that understatement starting to become clear.

http://www.kyivpost.com/multimedia/photo/ukraine-hides-devastating-losses-as-russia-backed-rebels-surge-forwards-378321.html