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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Kiev authorities inflame military tension in Donbas — Ukrainian politician

Responsibility for unleashing the war rests with those who came to power after President Yanukovych's overthrow, Sergey Kaplin, a deputy from President Petro Poroshenko's Bloc, said on Ukrainian TV

© EPA/ANASTASIA VLASOVA

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KIEV, February 18. /TASS/. Kiev authorities are to blame for inflaming military conflict in Ukraine’s south-east, Sergey Kaplin, a deputy from President Petro Poroshenko's Bloc, said on Ukrainian television on Wednesday.

Responsibility lays with Oleksandr Turchinov, National Security and Defense Council Secretary, and Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, he said in a statement assessed as indicating growing contradictions between Poroshenko and positions taken by the other two politicians.

"It is easy to blame Russia’s president for firing up military action in Donbas but it is time to tell people the truth," Kaplin said.

"Responsibility for unleashing the war rests with those who came to power after President Yanukovych's overthrow. They are to blame for war in Donbas today. They are Yatsenyuk and Turchinov," said Kaplin, interviewed on Ukraine's TBi channel.

"War could have been stopped there but that would have been against their interests. Ukrainian people keep being killed," he said.

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Eastern Ukraine

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Ukrainian trace obvious in Crocus City Hall attack — Russian prosecutor general

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Kiev continues to openly announce terrorist attacks on Russia — diplomat

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Water in Kurgan above dam, breaking records

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Iran intends to bolster military cooperation with Russia — envoy to Moscow

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Moscow-based embassies of NATO countries helped anti-government groups, Lavrov says

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Israel assesses effectiveness, consequences of strike on Iran — media

A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces declined to comment on the reports of the strike

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Ukrainian president admits Russian troops’ advancement

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Situation in Iran’s Isfahan stabilizes after drone attack — media

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Tehran’s two major airports cancel international flights — Mehr

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Russian military closely monitors all Ukrainian 'novelties' — Kremlin on UAVs

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