New York (UN) – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he is alarmed by what seems to be a "dangerous escalation" in the crisis in Ukraine with reports of intensified fighting in the country south-east near the border with Russia, as the Security Council held emergency talks on the latest developments.
“The international community cannot allow the situation to escalate further nor can a continuation be allowed of the violence and destruction that the conflict has wrought in eastern Ukraine,” Ban’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.
It is reported that the fighting in eastern Ukraine has spread southward, near the border of the Sea of Azov and Russia.
“If confirmed, this will mark a dangerous escalation in the Ukrainian crisis,” said the statement.
It has further been reported that several small towns and villages in the area are now in the midst of heavy fighting, while the town of Novoazovsk has been seized by the armed groups. The battle for Luhansk continues, and hostilities in Donetsk in several key strategic areas have been spreading, Dujarric added.
“We cannot ignore the deeply alarming reports of Russian military involvement in this new wave of escalation,” he stated. “If confirmed, it would constitute a direct contravention of international law and of the UN Charter,” he said.
Ban’s spokesman added that the UN has no independent means of verifying this information, and Russia has staunchly rejected these reports.
According to Dujarric, secretary general reminded on recent talks in Minsk on Aug. 26 and the first official meeting between Ukrainian and Russian presidents. He urged to continue these negotiations for looking a peaceful solution of the crisis.
