Russia concerned about rising tension in eastern Ukraine

Moscow, Mar 11 (EFE) .- Russia today expressed its concern about the “significant increase” in the tension in the dividing line of forces in the conflict zone, east of Ukraine, between the army of this country and the pro-Russian militias .
“We received information that in recent months the tension in the line dividing the forces has increased significantly,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said at his daily telephone press conference.
He noted that any increase in tension “in such a ‘hot’ place can potentially lead to provocations, given the aggressiveness of the Ukrainian armed forces.”
“And, of course, we are concerned,” added Peskov.
The spokesman for the Russian Presidency indicated that the press must be careful and must verify the information about the situation on the ground due to the “extreme tension in the zone of separation of forces.”
Asked whether a meeting or telephone contact between the presidents of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and Ukraine, Vladimir Zelensky, is planned, Peskov indicated that this has not been raised, but added that, if necessary, “it can be arranged. quickly”.
According to the special mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation Europe (OSCE) to observe the ceasefire between the Ukrainian armed forces and the pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine, there were 152 violations of the truce last Tuesday, almost double those registered in the previous seven days.
Last week, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, during a visit to the conflict zone, declared that “Russia does not respond reciprocally to the positive steps of Ukraine to implement the Minsk agreements”, so the Union European will maintain its sanctions on Moscow.
The conflict in the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, which broke out in 2014, has claimed about 14,000 deaths according to UN data.
Russia accuses Ukraine of having launched a war against the Russian-speaking population, the majority in the area, known as Donbas, while Kiev maintains that Moscow is militarily occupying that territory, in which two “people’s republics” have proclaimed themselves, that of Donetsk and that of Lugansk.
According to the Ukrainian Government, these two entities, not recognized by anyone and bordering Russia, are supported solely and exclusively by Moscow’s economic and military support. EFE
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