Debaltseve is not Ukrainian, will never be, - "DPR" leader Zakharchenko

The self-styled "Donetsk People's Republic" is not going to leave Debaltseve, a town in the Donetsk region seized by Russia-supported separatist forces in defiance of the Minsk agreements signed in February 2015.

Censor.NET reports referring to RIA Novosti quoting "DPR" leader Alexander Zakharchenko.

"They will have hard time getting Dabaltseve back. Having failed to have enough forces and means to keep the town in 2015, they'd rather think of when Zakharchenko gets to Kyiv. Debaltseve is not theirs and will never be. They'd rather forget about Debaltseve and the whole 'Donetsk People's Republic'," he said.

Earlier, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko said the Ukrainian side insisted on the demilitarization of Debaltseve during the recent Normandy format talks in Berlin.