RUSSIAN Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticised the Kiev government’s insistence that it wouldn’t begin pulling back heavy weapons from the truce line today.

Mr Lavrov told reporters that the refusal to pull back until the rebels fully observed a ceasefire was “ridiculous.”

“Everyone understands that there isn’t an ideal truce and an ideal regime for ceasing fire,” he said.

Ukrainian military spokesman Lt-Col Anatoliy Stelmakh eventually admitted ceasefire violations during the night had been insignificant.

But he reiterated that Ukrainian forces would not begin any weapons withdrawal until attacks ceased.

But only a couple of hours later, Kiev said it was starting to pull back.

“Ukraine is today beginning the withdrawal of 100mm cannon from the front line,” the military said.

“This is the first step in the pull-back of heavy weapons and will be carried out exclusively under the supervision and verification of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe).”

The withdrawal of all weapons over a calibre of 100mm is meant to contribute to a buffer zone of between 30 and 87 miles.

Under the terms of the peace plan signed by both Kiev and the independence forces, the withdrawal is meant to be completed in 14 days.

Meanwhile, pressure increased on Kiev from quite a different direction.

A spokesman for Russian gas giant Gazprom said that without further payment, the company could cut off supplies to Ukraine by the end of the week.

Following a dispute over prices and debt, Russia and Ukraine signed a deal in October requiring Kiev to pay in advance for gas shipments.

But with Ukraine falling deeper and deeper into the austerity trap laid by the International Monetary Fund, which has yet to disburse its first bailout payout, and with inflation gathering pace, payment is likely to present a problem for Kiev, especially since capital flight continues from the country’s banks with deposit outflows now reaching £390-450 million per month as the rich safeguard their cash.