PRESS RELEASE
Ukraine has to respond to the aggravation of situation in the Donbas
During the last month, the developments in the Donbas have testified that Russia made a conscious choice of the course to escalate the situation. The number of shelling of the Ukrainian positions by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and Moscow-supported illegal armed formations is increased substantially. Only on the 19th of July, Ukraine lost 7 soldiers and 14 were wounded. The number of the attempts of sabotage, terrorist and reconnaissance-sabotage activities by the state-aggressor is increased. The supplies of Russian weapons and equipment to Ukraine’s territory are continued, and rotation of personnel of the Russian troops is carried out. Russia has blocked the process of exchange of hostages. This is confirmed in the reports of the OSCE SMM monitors.
Complete and demonstrative neglect on the part of the Russian Federation of her own obligations under the Minsk arrangements, the absence of any positive changes in the peace process, as well as a high probability of Russian-terrorist forces’ offensive in summer vacation period are forced Ukraine to take resolute steps to avoid inciting large-scale hostilities.
Following the meeting of the War Cabinet of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine (NSDCU), the NSDCU Secretary said that in case of continuing dangerous deterioration of the situation in the Donbas and with the purpose to protect the territorial integrity of the country and security of the citizens the NSDCU could bring to the agenda the issue of the introduction of martial law.
In this regard, Ukraine draws attention to the following:
Ukraine remains committed to the Minsk arrangements and calls on the Russian Federation similar practical demonstrations of devotion to her obligations. Russia should immediately stop provocations and shelling, observe the security provisions of the Minsk arrangements, agree a comprehensive security package proposed by Ukraine that will create necessary preconditions for the peaceful settlement and launching a political track, and immediately resume the exchange of hostages (at least on the scheme 25 to 50).
For nearly two years since the signing of the Minsk protocol of 5 September 2014 and half years since the approval of the Complex of measures to implement the Minsk arrangements of 12 February 2015 Russia exclusively manipulates the obligations incumbent on her, while neither recognising, nor implementing them, and by all means of hybrid warfare prevents Ukraine to restore peace and stability on its territory.
While the Ukrainian military clearly observed the Minsk arrangements using weapons only in response to bloody provocation of Russian invaders, continuous shelling by Russian aggressors with the use of prohibited by Minsk arrangements powerful weapons and modern means of guidance and correction of fire lead to heavy losses among Ukrainian military. For the 19th of July only Ukraine lost 7 soldiers and 14 were wounded. From the beginning of July, 27 Ukrainians were killed and 123 wounded.
In the case of absence of real actions by Moscow aimed at the restoration of peace in Donbas, Ukraine have all reasons to exercise its right to self-defence under the UN Charter. If the situation does not stabilise and these dangerous tendencies continue, Ukraine will take all necessary measures for protecting the integrity of the country and security of its citizens. The NSDCU Secretary already said about a possibility to put on the agenda of the NSDCU the issue of the introduction of martial law.
Russia deliberately trying to level the effectiveness of the existing international formats, delays time and avoids any substantive discussion in the Normandy format even on the issues of ceasefire, refusing to perform the first provision of all Minsk documents and conditioning even that by achievement of political concessions from Ukraine.
Ukraine appeals to all international partners to increase pressure on the official Kremlin to stop the further spread of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the entire civilized world and to prevent deterioration of the situation that will have disastrous consequences for the security and stability in Europe.
The lack of clear signals to the Russian Federation regarding its full responsibility for the deterioration of the situation and the attempts to “make messages blind” by means of diplomatic lexicon only encourage Russia to continue to assert her seemingly innocence to the development of the situation, her so called "constructive role" and “positive influence” on "militia".