Pro-Russian separatists provoking in Donbas
16:58
The Ukrainian army reported 66 cases of violating the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine. In some cases, the firing was to be carried out from the types of weapons prohibited under the truce. Meanwhile, the command of the pro-Russian separatists claims that it was the Ukrainian army that carried out the shelling.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday called these events a "powerful provocation" and called on OSCE observers and foreign diplomats to stay in Ukraine and report on violations of the truce.
The separatists claim that the Ukrainian side is firing at their positions and civilian targets with the use of weapons prohibited under the truce. According to observations by the Ukrainian army, civilians were evacuated from parts of the border territories on the eastern side of the "demarcation line".
However, Kyiv assured that it is not planning any offensive actions against pro-Russian separatists in Donbas and that it will not react to provocations so as not to exacerbate the situation. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned yesterday that through provocations in Donbas, Russia may be looking for a pretext to invade Ukraine.
