Some pro-government forces start pulling out of besieged Ukrainian town

A member of Ukrainian armed forces takes his position near Debaltseve, eastern Ukraine February 16, 2015. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

KIEV (Reuters) - Some pro-government forces began on Wednesday to pull out of the east Ukrainian town of Debaltseve which is under siege from Russian-backed separatists, commanders of pro-government paramilitary units said.

"The withdrawal of forces from Debaltseve is taking place in a planned and organised way," said Semen Semenchenko, who heads the pro-government paramilitary battalion, Donbass.