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y would require a huge number of forces. Many in Kiev are now concerned the Done
tsk leader may be preparing the ground for major intervention from Ukraine's nei
ghbour, Russia.
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Christopher Miller, a journalist based near Debaltseve, told the BBC he thought
it was "very unlikely" the rebels would be able to mobilise 100,000 men.
It was more likely that rebel leaders were attempting to use the announcement as
"a disguise to bring in more Russian volunteers", he said.
Ukraine has alleged the rebels are being helped by as many as 9,000 Russian serv
icemen, a claim the government in Moscow denies.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov meanwhile accused the Ukrainian governmen
t of taking "a course towards a military solution to the conflict".
'Reserve force'
Mr Zakharchenko emphasised that recruits to separatist forces would be voluntary
, Donetsk news agency said.
"It is a reserve force which will definitely be able to resist any attack," he w
as quoted as saying.
They would have a month's combat training with the aim of providing five additio
nal brigades, the Donetsk agency reports.
Ukraine map
Ukraine's government has also announced plans to boost its forces in the east, a
nd mobilise 200,000 troops in 2015.
Tanks and other heavy military vehicles were seen heading towards Debaltseve on
Sunday in an attempt to bolster government defences in the town.
Hundreds of civilians were moved out of the town by Ukrainian government forces
amid reports that the separatists had reached the outskirts.
A Canadian journalist who is in the conflict zone said the rebels had been invol
ved in a tough battle as they tried to encircle Debaltseve.
"It's been quite surprising to hear how many have said they are experiencing sig
nificant losses and many of their fellow fighters have been killed," Kristina Jo
vanovski told the BBC World Service Newsday programme. "That's not something tha
t you often hear."
Military officials in Kiev said on Monday that five soldiers had been killed in
the past 24 hours, although separatists said the number was more than 20. Thirte
en civilians were killed in separatist-held areas during the same period, rebel
sources said.
The latest fatalities mean at least 60 people have been killed during a weekend
of heavy violence in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
Overall, more than 5,000 people have been killed and some 1.2 million have fled
their homes since last April, when the rebels seized a big swathe of Luhansk and
Donetsk regions, following Russia's annexation of Crimea.
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