MOSCOW, May 26 (RIA Novosti) – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday the restart of the active phase of Kiev’s military operation in eastern Ukraine would be a “tremendous mistake.”
“We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that the so-called anti-terrorist operation never ceased and [acting Prime Minister] Arseniy Yatsenyuk’s first deputy, mister [Vitaliy] Yarema said yesterday that now that the vote is over, the Kiev authorities will resume the active phase of this operation. This will be a tremendous mistake,” he said.
New clashes broke out on Sunday between Ukrainian troops and local self-defense forces in Ukraine’s east and south, leading to more casualties and bumping up the death toll that has been increasing ever since coup-imposed Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk announced the beginning of an “anti-terror" operation in the area.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry earlier said its troops had killed two activists near Slaviansk and another two in Ukraine’s easternmost region of Luhansk, and captured 14 federalists. Several civilians suffered gunshot wounds.
The ministry claimed the skirmish followed a string of attacks by federalists on four polling stations during the May 25 presidential election in the area.
Running battles in Ukraine continued Sunday as citizens went to the polls to vote for a new president.
