US threatens more sanctions after'179 Ukraine soldiers killed'

The United States warned today it could escalate sanctions on Russia after rebels overran a key Ukrainian town in violation of a truce, leaving a reported 179 government soldiers dead over a month of fighting.
"We're not going to sit there and be part of this kind of extraordinarily craven behaviour at the expense of the sovereignty and integrity of a nation," US Secretary of State John Kerry said in London before talks with British counterpart Philip Hammond.
The US and Britain are considering "additional sanctions, additional efforts" against Russia, Kerry said.
The toll of 179 soldiers' deaths in the month-long battle over Debaltseve was given by Yuri Biryukov, an aide to Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko, on his Facebook page.

If that figure is confirmed, it would represent one of the bloodiest losses suffered by the Ukrainian side in the 10-month conflict.
But Kiev is officially giving a much lower toll. Defence Minister Stepan Poltorak today said the government's tally of troop deaths in Debaltseve for this week was 20.
He added that 112 soldiers had been taken prisoner, while 2,500 had braved rebel fire to flee to safety on Wednesday.