Ukrainian forces are escalating the Donbass conflict at Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s order, Lugansk People’s Republic People’s Militia chief-of-staff Yan Leschenko said.
“Tensions have been mounting since Zelensky’s visit to the so-called Joint Forces Operation zone; after his departure, Kiev forces began to shell the Donbass Republics along the whole frontline. Consequently, the Ukrainian president personally issued the order to escalate the conflict,” Leschenko said.
The LPR Office at the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination said that Ukrainian forces violated the ceasefire ten times on Thursday. Strikes were delivered at the areas of Zolotoye-5, the Sokolniki, Vaselenkoye and Nizhneye Lozovoye villages and the Donetsky township. A gas pipe in Nikolayevka was damaged in a Kiev army 122mm artillery strike.
LPR representative in the Contact Group working group on political issues Rodion Miroshnik said that provocative strikes by Ukrainain forces crushed Ukraine’s commitments to fulfil the Additional Measures to Strengthen the Ceasefire, denying its statements on observing the truce.
The Additional Measures to Strengthen the Ceasefire, agreed by the Contact Group members and effective since 00:01 July 27, 2020, ban offensive and commando operations, use of unmanned aerial vehicles and deployment of heavy armaments in or in proximity to residential areas etc. They envision punishment for violators and the use of the coordination mechanism to respond to ceasefire violations. Return fire is allowed in case of offensive, if the order is given by the leadership of Ukrainian forces or DPR and LPR People’s Militias after the unsuccessful attempt to use the coordination mechanism. The Contact Group shall be notified about such orders.
The members of the Contact Group have announced ceasefire more than 20 times since the autumn of 2014. Kiev forces regularly violated the truce opening fire with large caliber artillery, mortars and tank guns which were to have been withdrawn in accordance with the Minsk agreements.
The Ukrainian government launched the so-called anti-terrorist operation against Donbass in April 2014. Conflict settlement relies on the Package of Measures for the Implementation of the Minsk Agreements, signed on February 12, 2015 in the Belarussian capital by the Contact Group members and coordinated by the Normandy Four heads of states (Russia, Germany, France and Ukraine). The document provides for ceasefire and withdrawal of heavy weapons from the contact line. *i*s
