FIGHTING persisted in east Ukraine today despite new European efforts to ensure that a ceasefire takes hold.

The Ukrainian military said that rebel fighters had attacked positions held by government troops 49 times in the past 24 hours, using rockets, artillery and armoured vehicles. Kiev military spokesman Anatoly Stelmach said there had been some shelling in the district of Mariupol — mostly government-held territory on the Sea of Azov.

The rebels accused government forces of also staging attacks, including on residential areas of Donetsk.

One woman was killed in shelling on Thursday.

The fiercest fighting since a truce came into effect on Sunday was in and around Debaltseve, a strategic rail hub, before government forces withdrew.

But today there was only desultory firing from a solitary tank outside the previously encircled town.

However, inside the town jubilation continued for the anti-fascist fighters who had chased Kiev’s troops away and consolidated their hold on Debaltseve on Thursday.

Rebel fighters roamed the debris-littered streets of the town, laughing, hugging and posing for photos.

Not so for the retreating soldiers, however.

They were grim, stunned and frankly relieved just to have escaped with their lives as the scope of their losses became clearer.

The official toll stood at 13 soldiers killed, 157 wounded, more than 90 captured and at least 82 missing.

But the troops spoke of many more casualties during the hasty withdrawal.

On the road out of town, dozens of Ukrainian military vehicles, many riddled with bullet holes and with their windshields smashed, were heading to the government-held city of Artemivsk.

The soldiers inside described weeks of harrowing rebel shelling, followed by a hasty retreat. “We left under heavy fire, driving on back roads,” said a soldier.

“As we were leaving, we were attacked by artillery and grenade launchers.

“We came under repeated attack by tanks and assault groups.”

Elsewhere, Paris and Berlin appeared to hope that, with the disputed territory of Debaltseve in rebel hands, the ceasefire could now take hold, but few politicians could be found to predict peace and disengagement.