You're reading: Ukraine asks international partners to put more pressure on Kremlin for Minsk implementation

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is deeply concerned about drastic escalation in the east of Ukraine and asks international partners to put more pressure on the Russian authorities for the implementation of the Minsk peace agreements on Donbas.

“We’re asking international partners to increase political and diplomatic pressure on the Kremlin to stop the dangerous escalation in Donbas,” the ministry said in a statement on July 25.

Ukraine consistently adheres to its commitments and will do its best to stop new deaths in Donbas along with the return of a peaceful life to temporarily occupied territory, restoration of constitutional order, and respect of human rights there, the ministry said.

“We demand that the Russian Federation, as a signatory to the Minsk accords, should immediately ensure the fulfillment of its commitments, withdraw troops, mercenaries and weapons from Donbas, stop illegal shipments of weapons and military hardware to militants, and unblock OSCE SMM’s access,” the ministry said.

Russian-backed militants attacked positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 189 times on July 22-24 alone. “What is more, they continue to defiantly and provocatively use the weapons that should have been withdrawn from the line of demarcation under the Minsk agreements long time ago,” the ministry said.

The ministry added there had been six skirmishes near the villages of Novozvanivka and Trudovske and the town of Avdiyivka, which made the Ukrainian side suffer casualties.

“The targeted aggravation of security is taking place against the background of massive supplies by Russia of military equipment, weapons and ammunition while new mercenaries and professional soldiers of the Russian army are being sent to Donbas,” the statement said.

The ministry also mentioned a clearly seen sequence of intimidation of OSCE SMM monitors in Ukraine.

“It is clear that the theory that the conflict in Donbas is of supposedly Ukrainian, domestic character, which the official Moscow is actively trying to impose on the international community, is just an attempt by the Russian Federation in any way to divert attention from its real role as the mastermind, a direct participant and a party to the conflict,” the statement said.