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Kremlin notes growing tension in Ukraine as punitive operation continues

MOSCOW, May 19. /ITAR-TASS/. The Kremlin noted growing tension in Ukraine as a punitive operation continues, it was stated at an urgent meeting with members of the Russian Security Council which Russian President Vladimir Putin held in the Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi before his departure for China, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

“Debate over international issues focused on current situation in Ukraine where tension keeps growing in the last few days amid a continuing punitive operation with the country’s army involved. Discussion also centred on several topical international problems which will be on the agenda of forthcoming talks in Shanghai,” the presidential spokesman said.

Among those who attended the Security Council meeting were Speakers of the upper and lower houses of parliament Valentina Matviyenko and Sergei Naryshkin, Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, his deputy Rashid Nurgaliyev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov, Foreign Intelligence Service Director Mikhail Fradkov and permanent member of the Security Council Boris Gryzlov.