By early February 2015, the United Nations estimated that roughly 5,300 people had been killed in the conflict between Ukrainian forces and Russian invading troops in the eastern Ukrainian provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk. As the toll of the fighting continued to rise, a ceasefire was agreed to take effect on February 15 under the Minsk II agreement. The ceasefire did not cover all conflict zones along the 350-kilometer front line. Fighting persisted in several areas, most notably in Debaltseve, where violence had intensified in the days leading up to the peace talks. While a temporary truce allowed some civilians to evacuate, many remained trapped in the town.
After repeated assaults, heavily armed Russian forces captured Debaltseve, including its strategically important railway junction, from Ukrainian control. In the week preceding the ceasefire, reinforced Russian units had already retaken the town of Vuhlehirsk, which had previously been liberated by Ukraine. The heavy clashes left widespread destruction and numerous casualties. Although the ceasefire was officially in place, Russian military elements continued to reorganise and build up their presence, reportedly planning to assemble a force of up to 100,000 troops to press against Ukrainian lines and consolidate control over the Donbas region.
