Kiev accused separatists of preparing for renewed conflict in east Ukraine

Kiev accused separatists of preparing for renewed conflict in east Ukraine on Tuesday by bringing in «Russian mercenaries» and rearming as heavy shelling increased strains on a crumbling ceasefire.
In Berlin, the European Union’s foreign affairs chief said the bloc’s foreign ministers would discuss new punitive measures against Russia next week, but German Chancellor Angela Merkel ruled out further economic sanctions for now.
Shelling around Donetsk, the main rebel stronghold, and artillery exchanges elsewhere punctured a truce that has been violated by what Kiev says are armed Russian incursions, and what the rebels call a new offensive by government forces.
«Russian mercenaries are strengthening and reinforcing (rebel) forces near the front line,» Ukrainian military spokesman Andriy Lysenko told a news briefing in Kiev.
He said the rebels had beefed up positions around the port city of Mariupol in the southeast, control of which would open up roads to territory in southern Ukraine that some Western leaders say Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes to claim.

Продолжение здесь: IPnews

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