- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Independence Supporters Say Ukrainian Forces Continue Fighting – Donetsk

© RIA Novosti . Valeriy Melnikov / Go to the mediabankSoldiers of the Lugansk People's Volunteer Corps
Soldiers of the Lugansk People's Volunteer Corps - Sputnik International
Subscribe
Representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) denied Tuesday Kiev’s allegations suggesting independence supporters violated the ceasefire and accused instead the Ukrainian special forces of continuing fighting.

MOSCOW, June 24 (RIA Novosti) – Representatives of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) denied Tuesday Kiev’s allegations suggesting independence supporters violated the ceasefire and accused instead the Ukrainian special forces of continuing fighting.

“On Monday, mortar attacks launched by the forces backed by the Kiev junta were taking place in Slaviansk throughout the day. Systematic, though not mass fighting still continued. It would be wrong to say that the attacks were carried out by our forces,” according to Miroslav Rudenko, a co-chairman of the republic’s government, who is also a deputy commander of its self-defense forces.

Rudenko told RIA Novosti that self-defense forces were only acting in response to the attacks on the Ukrainian side.

“If you are subject to attacks, you are forced to respond,” the Donetsk official stressed.

The authorities in Kiev in their turn blame independence supporters for shelling military checkpoints in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

Last Friday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko ordered a unilateral ceasefire between independence supporters and the government forces conducting a special military operation in the country’s east until June 27.

On Monday, Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic Alexander Boroday announced that the self-defense forces would comply with the conditions of the ceasefire.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала