As details of the ceasefire agreed in Minsk filtered through to the winter chilled streets of the Ukranian capital Kyiv.
Kyivites gave their reaction and optimism is thin on the ground.
Yevhen Mahda is a political analyst: “Now it’s a tactical move. Because of the threat of a new phase of sanctions against Russia the Russian economy may survive, they have big gold and foreign currency reserves, but social unrest in the country may become a second front against the Kremlin, and Putin certainly cares about that.”
The doom surrounding the potential breakthrough is all pervading:“I think there will be no truce, because when there was a previous ceasefire, too many people died. I think, the separatists will just take a break for something,” said one woman.
A man in the capital gave his pessimistic reaction:“I doubt it. Nobody believes it. Even if Putin puts his signature on it and we withdraw our troops, who will pay damages? Someone must pay!”
