Ukraine Truce in Peril as Russia Is Warned on Sanctions
Ukraine accused Russia of sending troops into rebel-held areas of the country as fighting in the east shook a fragile two-month-old truce.
Russia is redeploying forces from its southern Rostov region and amassing troops in the separatist areas of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko said today. Russian military drones also continued surveillance over rebel areas.
About 60 units of military vehicles were redeployed to the border from Rostov-on-Don in the past 24 hours. Lysenko told reporters in Kiev. Trains with military vehicles were also seen in the Luhansk region, he said.
Standoff in Ukraine
The standoff is coming to a head after Ukraine and its allies accused separatists of undermining peace efforts with Nov. 2 elections in Donetsk and Luhansk. Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Ukraines civil war isnt subsiding as cities continue to come under shelling and the civilian death toll is rising.
The European Union today added to warnings from the U.S. and Germany that Russia risks more sanctions over the conflict. EU foreign-policy chief Federica Mogherini said in Warsaw that pressure on Russia has to be kept up and the 28-member blocs foreign ministers will discuss what next step we need to take also in terms of sanctions, when they meet on Nov. 17.
A move by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to revoke the special status of the breakaway areas will scuttle a truce negotiated in Minsk, the rebel regions said yesterday in a joint statement. German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged the EU to consider more sanctions, while U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned pressure will increase if the Sept. 5 agreement isnt implemented.
The conflict is incomplete and Russia is set to continue it, said Oleksiy Melnyk, an analyst at the Razumkov Center for Economic and Political Studies in Kiev. Separatist leaders are going to continue military action to expand the conflict zone, and the Ukrainian side has to keep that in mind.
Nine Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the past 24 hours, and rebel forces continue to shell Donetsk airport, Lysenko said. Shelling can be heard across Donetsk, the city council said on its website.
While both sides have said theyre committed to honoring the cease-fire and back peace efforts, Ukraines Foreign Ministry said more than 100 servicemen have been killed and 600 wounded in the east since the truce was signed.
Original post:
Ukraine Truce in Peril as Russia Is Warned on Sanctions