MOSCOW, December 10. /TASS/. Russian military led by Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces Alexander Lentsov are providing assistance to the Ukrainian south-east conflict sides in reaching compromise for deescalation of tension and troops’ pullout, Chief of the Russian General Staff General Valery Gerasimov said on Wednesday.

The mission was sent at the request of the Chief of the Ukrainian General Staff, Viktor Muzhenko, said Gerasimov.

At a meeting with military attaches from more than 50 countries Gerasimov said that the conflict in Ukraine runs counter to Russia’s interest and added that Russia is not a side in the conflict.

“Representatives of the Russian Armed Forces led by Lieutenant General Alexander Lentsov have been sent to the Debaltsevo settlement of the Donetsk region at the request of Chief of the Ukrainian General Staff Lieutenant Colonel Viktor Muzhenko,” Gerasimov said.

The Russian General Staff chief said that the mission’s task “is to provide assistance jointly with the OSCE to the conflict sides - the Ukrainian troops and local militias - to find compromise solutions for the deescalation of tension and pullout of troops from the contact line.”

“The main goal is to stop the shelling of residential districts in which innocent civilians are killed,” Gerasimov said.

“Frankly speaking, everything is complicated. If not for constant outside interference of representatives of a number of European countries - NATO members and the United States, the problems’ settlement would be easier,” he added.

However, he said, the current results give the hope that the Russian military mission in Debaltsevo will be fulfilled.