Russian-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine accused Kiev government forces of firing artillery and mortars in three incidents on Friday, the Interfax news reports the agency.
Kiev and the rebels blamed each other for escalating tensions after artillery and mortar attacks on Thursday, raising fears that Russia, which has massed over 100,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders could be involved.
The Kremlin said on Thursday was “deeply concerned” with the rocket-up in Ukraine and was monitoring the situation closely. The United States said that Russia was seeking for an excuse for war.
According to the Interfax report, the self-proclaimed People’s Republic of Donetsk said the shelling targeted the village of Petrivske in the escape region at 5:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. GMT). Another self-proclaimed rebel republic, Luhansk, reported two incidents of mortar fire Friday morning.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian military recorded 60 stopfire violations by pro-Russian separatists over the past 24 hoursIt said on Friday, with one wounded soldier. In one report, the military said separatists opened fire on more more than 10 settlements, using heavy artillery, mortars and a tank.
Kiev and pro-Russian separatists are at war for eight years and the cessation-fire between the sides is regularly violated, but the intensity of the fighting has increased dramatically this week.
US President Joe Biden on Thursday said that Russia was preparing a pretext to justify a possible attack on Ukraine, whose ambition is to one daytime join NATO military alliance angered Moscow.
In Europe’s biggest security crisis in decades Russia has amassed troops, tanks and heavy weapons on borders of Ukraine and demanded assurances that Kiev would not join NATO, something Ukraine government refused to do.
Even so, Russia says he has no intention of invading Ukraine and blames the West of hysteria over son military build-up saying some of his troops returned to their bases.
Interfax news the agency cited Russia defense ministry as saying on Friday that several Russian mechanized infantry units had returned to their bases in the regions of Dagestan and Chechnya after completing drills in Crimea.
Interfax also quoted the department as saying that a loaded train with the tanks had left an undisclosed location location return to base in Nizhny Novgorod province. CASS news The agency released a similar report on troops returning to base.
Western leaders say, however, that Russia remains able of launch a invasion at any time.
“We have reason believe they are engaged in a false flag operation to have an excuse to go in“, Biden told reporters at the White House on Thusday. “Every indication we have is that they are ready to go to Ukraine and attack Ukraine.”
Diplomatic efforts will continue on Friday when Biden hosts a call with The leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Great Britain, European Union and NATO.
american secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet his counterparts at the Munich Security Conference. He will be also discuss the crisis late next week with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the State Department said.
Washington said it would respond to Moscow’s ‘unprovoked’ demands move to expel the deputy head of the United States of Bart Gorman assignment. Russian diplomats who stayed more than three years must leave the United States, while Moscow gives American diplomats less time, a State Department spokesman said.
