In the conflict area in eastern Ukraine, there were new attacks on Sunday night. The insurgents in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions announced in the morning that villages had been shelled several times since midnight. The Ukrainian army also listed several violations of the current ceasefire in the morning. The respective data might not be verified independently. Nothing was initially known regarding victims.
The military had already spoken of two soldiers killed on Saturday. According to international observers, the number of ceasefire violations is rising massively. In the Luhansk region, 975 violations were found, including 860 explosions, according to a statement by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Sunday night. 591 violations were reported for the Donetsk region, including 535 explosions. These figures referred to the situation on Friday.
Red Cross “very worried”
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) complained that at least two pumping stations in the Donetsk region had failed due to shelling in the past few days. These supplied more than a million people with drinking water. “We are very concerned regarding developments in eastern Ukraine,” said Florence Gillette, head of the ICRC delegation in Ukraine.
According to the USA, a Russian attack is possible “at any time”.
The US government reiterated its warning of a Russian attack on Ukraine. The US President’s National Security Advisor Joe Biden continued to assume that “Russia might launch an attack on Ukraine at any time,” said White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki on Saturday evening. Biden is monitoring developments. A meeting between the US President and the National Security Council is scheduled for Sunday.
Selenskyj assures willingness to dialogue
The President of Ukraine Wolodymyr Selenskyj meanwhile emphasized in a telephone call with the French head of state Emmanuel Macron his country’s willingness to engage in dialogue in the conflict with Russia. As it was said on Saturday evening from the Elysee Palace, Zelenskyy also promised in the conversation that he would not react to provocations by Moscow-loyal separatists in eastern Ukraine. He had expressed his determination to prevent further escalation. Zelenskyi said he and Macron discussed a political-diplomatic solution for eastern Ukraine in the face of an increase in explosions and ceasefire violations.
Macron wants to call Putin
Macron wants to meet the Russian President once more on Sunday morning Wladimir Putin on the phone following he had already fought with Putin in Moscow two weeks ago to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Macron is making the last possible effort to prevent a conflict in and around Ukraine, it said in Paris. It’s regarding prospects for the next few days and reducing the pressure. As the Elysee Palace said in view of the violence that had flared up in eastern Ukraine, “a form of war” had begun. A way out of the crisis must be found and de-escalated as quickly as possible.
Austrian government sends crisis team
Austria’s federal government reacted on Sunday and sent a crisis team to Kiev. It consists of seven staff from the Departments of State, Interior and Defense. The crisis team is intended to support employees at the Austrian embassy in dealing with the crisis and Austrians abroad when leaving the country.
