Clashes Resume Between Ukraine Government, Separatist Forces
KYIV – Clashes resumed on Thursday between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatist militias around the stronghold city of Donetsk, despite the ceasefire that was supposed to have been in effect in the conflict zone since Sept. 5.
The Ukrainian military command said one of its soldiers was killed in an artillery barrage launched by separatist forces surrounding the Donetsk airport.
Altogether three soldiers died and four more were wounded in Thursday’s clashes in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Vladislav Seleznev, a spokesman for the Ukrainian military command, told media.
The RIA-Novosti Russian news agency quoted Andrei Purgin, deputy prime minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic saying “it’s total war now, they attack and we defend ourselves.”
Purgin also claimed that there has been no respect at all for the ceasefire in 75 percent in the areas where it was supposed to have taken effect.
Other sources told the Russian news agency Interfax that the Ukrainian army staged a surprise attack with tanks and armored vehicles against the separatists’ positions around Donetsk.
A source on the separatists’ side admitted that the military situation in the area was again becoming “complicated” after “enemy” tanks were detected trying to break through their defensive lines.
The source added, however, that the separatists halted an attack by a column of Ukrainian tanks against the village of Yasinovataya. Five tanks were destroyed in the operation and two civilians were killed, he said.
The separatists claim the Ukrainian army was responsible for the artillery shells that fell on a soccer field by a Donetsk school, killing two teenagers and wounding four others.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry denied the allegation and accused the separatists of responsibility.
After fighting flared up on Tuesday, the separatists announced, that they will reconsider the Minsk agreements which they signed on Sept. 5, mandating that both sides observe a ceasefire and draw a line of demarcation to separate their forces and heavy weapons.
News media reports claim that around 400 people have been killed as a direct result of the conflict since that ceasefire was signed on Sept. 5, including militiamen, soldiers and civilians.