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Ukrainian military ready to use force in Donbass — Russia’s OSCE envoy

According to Alexander Lukashevich, Kiev is trying to shift the blame for the worsening situation in Donbass, which has been seen in recent days, to the militias

Ukrainian servicemen prepare their tanks to withdraw not far of Mariupol, Donetsk region, Ukraine EPA/IRINA GORBASYOVA, archive

Ukrainian servicemen prepare their tanks to withdraw not far of Mariupol, Donetsk region, Ukraine

© EPA/IRINA GORBASYOVA, archive

VIENNA, February 4 /TASS/. The activities of Ukrainian military near the disengagement line in Donbass shows that Ukraine may be preparing for settling the conflict in Eastern Ukraine by force, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the OSCE Alexander Lukashevich told a session of the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday.

UKRAINE CRISIS

According to him, Kiev is trying to shift the blame for the worsening situation in Donbass, which has been seen in recent days, to the militias.

Lukashevich believes that the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine is not monitoring the situation in Ukrainian troops’ rear in Donbass.

The mission should provide more information about the work of patrol teams, the diplomat told a session of the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday.

Also, Lukashevich has called on Kiev to agree the modality of Donbass elections and the region’s special status with the Contact Group for Ukraine settlement.

The Ukrainian authorities are trying to dodge the implementation of the Minsk agreements. "They promise whatever one likes but they do not implement anything," Lukashevich told a session of the OSCE Permanent Council on Thursday.

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