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Developments in eastern Ukraine

Media: Kiev forces start shelling Donetsk airport

A group of thirty journalists are in the airport’s territory at the moment

Donetsk airport Nikolai Muravyev/TASS

Donetsk airport

© Nikolai Muravyev/TASS

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MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. Ukrainian armed forces have started shelling the territory of the Donetsk airport, reports the Donetsk News Agency.

"The deputy commander of the Defense Ministry’s corps (of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic) Eduard Basurin and a group of thirty journalists are in the airport’s territory at the moment. Militias present at the site said the shelling was carried out from the villages of Opytnoye and Vodino," the agency said.

Last Thursday, February 12 the Belarussian capital Minsk hosted hours-long overnight talks by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Also, there was a meeting of the Contact Group for Ukraine.

The meetings produced a package of measures to implement the Minsk Accords, such as a ceasefire in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions starting from February 15, pullback of heavy armaments and measures for a long-term political settlement of the situation in Ukraine.

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Eastern Ukraine

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Russia hammers Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, energy sites over week

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Any escalation scenario possible in Ukraine conflict — Medvedev

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Trump to name investor Bessent as Treasury Secretary

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WIPO members adopt Riyadh Design Law Treaty

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US missile defense base in Poland long among Russian army’s targets — Foreign Ministry

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Russia encircles largest Ukrainian fortification in southern DPR — security services

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Oreshnik can reach targets across entire Europe — missile troops commander

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US journalist calls US President Joe Biden’s government 'the fascist state'

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Internet shutdown possible in Belarus if events of August 2020 recur, Lukashenko says

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Belarusian president believes humanity is on the brink of World War III

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West beginning to realize only part of Ukraine will remain — Lavrov

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Lukashenko tells Putin situation is "starting to get tense with Wagner"

The Belarusian leader noted that they want to go to Warsaw