Here's What Ukraine's Cease-Fire Looks Like So Far

A lull after 10 months of fighting.

By
David Mack
by David Mack

BuzzFeed News Reporter

A cease-fire came into effect on Sunday in eastern Ukraine as government forces and Russian-backed rebels mostly laid down their arms.

REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Members of the Ukrainian armed forces are seen not far from Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine, on Feb. 15, 2015.

Although fierce fighting continued in some areas, both sides largely abided by the cease-fire.

VOLODYMYR SHUVAYEV/AFP / Getty Images

Ukrainian servicemen play football on a road at Svitlodarsk, approaching Debaltseve, on Feb. 15, 2015.

Government soldiers took the chance to play a game of soccer on the road leading to Debaltseve, a city both sides have been fighting to gain control of in recent weeks.

Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images

Elsewhere, residents emerged from their houses to inspect the damage of war for themselves.

REUTERS/Baz Ratner

A woman walks by a building, which was damaged by shelling last September, in Donetsk, on Feb. 15, 2015.

Craters from shells and rockets were visible in the streets.

PETRO ZADOROZHNYY/AFP / Getty Images

Residents walk past a shell crater in the village of Opytne in the Donetsk region, which is controlled by by Ukrainian forces, on Feb. 15, 2015.

For many people, the cease-fire meant time to sort through the rubble of their homes and businesses.

PETRO ZADOROZHNYY/AFP / Getty Images

A member of the medical staff salvages items from amongst the rubble of a destroyed clinic in the village of Opytne on Feb. 15, 2015, a day after the clinic was destroyed during shelling by Russian-backed rebels.

Other residents cleaned up the debris from broken windows.

PETRO ZADOROZHNYY/AFP / Getty Images

Residents clear up debris in the village of Opytne on Feb. 15, 2015, a day after shelling by Russian-backed rebels.

Others took time to search for fresh water.

ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP / Getty Images

A resident collects water from a broken water pipe in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on Feb. 15, 2015.

Many apartments and homes have been badly damaged after 10 months of fighting.

ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP / Getty Images

A resident walks past a damaged building in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on Feb. 15, 2015.

The interiors of the buildings are equally as damaged.

ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP / Getty Images

A resident shines a torch around the conflict-damaged apartment of his neighbor in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on Feb. 15, 2015.

Homes are littered with debris.

REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

A local resident reacts in her home after shelling in recent days in Svitlodarsk, eastern Ukraine, Feb. 15, 2015.

School buildings have also not been spared from damage.

AP Photo/Petr David Josek

A man cleans shattered glass inside of a school building that was damaged in recent shelling between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian government forces in the town of Svitlodarsk, on Feb. 15, 2015.

More funerals were held for those killed in the fighting. This woman lost her 7-year-old son on Friday when a shell hit his school.

Brendan Hoffman / Getty Images

Zhanna Molodetskykh, center, attends the funeral of her son Igor Molodetskykh on Feb. 15, 2015.

More than 5,000 people have been killed in the fighting.

REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Local residents react near their home after shelling in recent days in Svitlodarsk, eastern Ukraine, Feb. 15, 2015.

Skip to footer