U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, NATO's top general, said the two-week old truce between Ukraine and pro-Russian militants is a "cease-fire in name only."
The Wall Street Journal reported that in a news conference, Breedlove said it is almost impossible to determine the number of Russian troops operating in Ukraine because of the free flow of weapons and fighters across the border.
"So the situation in Ukraine is not good right now," Breedlove said. "Basically we have a cease-fire in name only." He put the blame on Russia for the continuing conflict and said he is hopeful about an agreement announced Saturday to create a buffer zone between Ukrainian and pro-Russian forces.
Breedlove said that violence levels in Ukraine, including the number of artillery rounds fired, are as high as they were prior to the Sept. 5 cease-fire.
