And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (Matthew 24:6) https://biblegateway/passage/?search=Matthew+24&version=KJV Pro-Russia separatists vow further advances into Ukraine after taking Donetsk airport: After winning an eight-month seige at Donetsk airport, Russian-backed separatists vow to advance further: Russian-backed separatists vowed to follow up a devastating victory over Ukrainian forces at Donetsk airport with a further advances, defying an agreement between Moscow and Kiev to return to a previous ceasefire line and raising fears of an all out offensive. The threat came after a mortar attack on a bus and tram in Donetsk killed at least 13 civilians and international observers said the death toll from the on-going conflict has reached 5,000. Ukrainian forces withdrew from Donetsk airport on Wednesday, bringing to an end an eight month battle in what will be seen as a bitter blow for pro-Kiev forces and a triumph for the pro-Russian rebels they are fighting. Alexander Zakharchenko, the head of the self proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said on Thursday that he would push the front line so far to the west of Donetsk that Ukrainian shells would no longer be able to fall on the city. “We will push back the front until no shells can fall on Donetsk,” said Mr Zakharchenko, speaking shortly after a mortar attack in central Donetsk killed at least 13 civilians. The comments appear to torpedo diplomatic efforts to resuscitate a ceasefire agreement signed in September. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, and Pavlo Klimkin, his Ukrainian counterpart, agreed on Wednesday night that both sides should return to a cease-fire line agreed at the Minsk peace agreement, which was signed by Ukrainian, Russian, and separatist representatives. At late night talks in Berlin, the pair agreed both sides should withdraw heavy artillery nine miles from the demarcation line, which is based on the positions of the two armies when the agreement was signed on September 5. Mr Zakharchenko, who has previously vowed to extend rebel rule to the borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, was speaking shortly after the bus attack, which he blamed on a Ukrainian “raiding party” operating behind separatist lines. He then ordered a captured Ukrainian officer to be paraded at the scene and witnesses described how guards allowed civilians to beat the prisoner. The Ukrainian defence ministry denied the accusation, blaming “illegal armed groups,” Kiev’s preferred description of the separatists. Rebel officials said the weapon used was a mobile 82mm mortar, which suggests the shells could only have been fired from within separatist-held territory. Ukraine is in “grave danger” of an escalation in its conflict against separatists, said Petro Poroshenko, the president. “The situation can get worse in days.”
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 00:37:29 +0000
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