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Pro-Russian rebels in Donetsk say they will make their stand in the city [Xinhua] |
The mood in the rebel-held city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine was tense
late Friday as many families continued to leave ahead of an anticipated
military offensive from Kiev.
The pro-Russian rebels say they will not surrender the city. On
Thursday they attacked the regional airport, a position they had
retreated from in May. Ukraine’s military forces pushed them back and
have been gaining leverage in their siege of the city.
According to Ukraine National Security and Defense Council chief
Andriy Parubiy, Kiev’s forces control 13 of 18 districts in Donetsk
region.
The rebels have been withdrawing ahead of Ukrainian military advances in other towns such as Slovyansk, and Kramatorsk.
Rebel leaders say that they are urging civilians to leave Donetsk and
have hinted that they could force a refugee crisis on Moscow in order
to procure military supplies.
In the meantime, the Ukrainian military earlier this week reported
that at least 19 of its soldiers, in addition to four border guards,
were killed when their army encampment was shelled near the village of
Rovenky.
Fighting in eastern Ukraine, which declared independence after
Russian forces seized the region of Crimea, intensified since Ukrainian
President Petro Poroshenko decided against extending a unilateral
ceasefire last week.
Poroshenko’s move prompted criticism from Moscow.
“Unfortunately, President Poroshenko has resolved to resume military
action, and we failed – when I say ‘we’, I mean my colleagues in Europe
and myself – we failed to convince him that the road to a secure, stable
and inviolable peace cannot lie through war,” Putin said.
“We also failed to agree to make public the statement approved by the
foreign ministers of Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine on the need to
maintain peace and search for mutually acceptable solutions,” he added.
On Thursday, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor
Angela Merkel called on Putin to pressure the rebels to put down their
arms.
For his part, Poroshenko says he has not seen any serious move from
Russia to deescalate the fighting in east Ukraine. Putin has said that
he has seen no push for negotiations from Kiev.
Source: Thebricspost.com
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