Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov voiced alarm on Friday over a sharp increase in shelling in eastern Ukraine and accused the OSCE special monitoring mission of glossing over what he said were Ukrainian violations of the peace process.
Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists have been fighting in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine since 2014 in a conflict that Kyiv says has claimed some 15,000 lives.
Washington and its allies have raised fears that the upsurge in violence in the Donbass could form part of a Russian pretext to invade Ukraine. Tensions are already high over a Russian military buildup to the north, east and south of Ukraine.
"So far we are seeing the special monitoring mission is doing its best to smooth over all questions that point to the blame of Ukraine's armed forces," he told a news conference. Ukraine's military on Friday denied violating the Minsk peace process and accused Moscow of waging an information war to say that Kyiv was shelling civilians, allegations it said were lies and designed to provoke it.
Russia has said it is pulling some troops away from areas near its borders with Ukraine following military exercises, but the West says that Moscow, on the contrary, is still building up its forces.Reporting by Oksana Kobzeva, Andrey Ostroukh, Natalia Zinets; writing by Tom Balmforth; editing by Mark Heinrich and Gareth Jones
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Interabang Books using acclaimed Russian literature to help make sense of Ukraine-Russia tensionsCo-owner of Dallas' Interabang Books launching collective read of Dostoevsky's 'The Brothers Karamazov.'
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine live updates: Russian forces stocking up on blood supplies, US saysSecretary of State Antony Blinken, changing plans at the last minute to speak at a U.N. Security Council meeting, implored the group to unite to address what he called 'Russia's looming aggression against Ukraine.'
Read more »
UK foreign minister to visit Ukraine, tells Russia to end military buildupBritish foreign minister Liz Truss will reaffirm support for Ukrainian sovereignty on a trip to Kyiv this week as part of efforts to deter a possible Russian invasion, urging Moscow to end its military buildup along the border.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine live updates: Russia adds as many as 7,000 troops, US official saysThe Ukrainian government has denied any intention to launch an offensive on the separatist-held areas.
Read more »
Ukraine, Russian-backed rebels accuse each other of shelling amid fears of Russia creating false pretext for invasionNew footage from the Ukrainian military shows a heavily damaged kindergarten in the Luhansk region of the country with an apparent blast crater in its adjoining yard and rubble in its classrooms. The military has blamed the damage on pro-Russian forces.
Read more »
US says Russia has added 7,000 troops along Ukraine border, despite claims of pullbackRussian forces massed along Ukraine's borders have increased by approximately 7,000 troops in recent days, the United States alleged Wednesday evening, despite claims from Moscow it was pulling back.
Read more »