site of shot down Malaysian airliner
Some progress in the war to reclaim the Donbass region of Ukraine has been made with the usual casualties and with an expected response by Russia
The Ukrainian military’s new offensive against the breakaway republics in Donbass renders any anti-Russian sanctions immoral, and demonstrates the West’s true objectives, says Sergey Naryshkin, the Russian State Duma speaker.
“The leaders of the EU nations are sacrificing their own economy and lie to their citizens for the sake of dangerous illusions, and completely alien objectives,” the Duma speaker told Russian MPs.
Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from Donetsk airport's main terminal, scene of bitter fighting in recent weeks.
The government said the military still retained control of parts of the airport, but six soldiers had died and 16 had been wounded.
In the centre of the rebel-held city, shelling hit a bus, killing 13 people....
The airport just outside Donetsk, which has been reduced to rubble, has taken on symbolic value for both separatists and the government over the winter.
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Fighting in eastern Ukraine flared up last week shortly before a supposed "peace summit". Both sides seemed to be battling for new ground, keen to strengthen their negotiating positions. Instead, the violence derailed the talks.
This conflict is costing Ukraine dearly, financially and in lives lost. But Ukrainian President Poroshenko has called up more troops, vowing to "get Donbass back".
Russia is also paying a high price for supporting the insurgents, under Western sanctions. Perhaps that is why this week Moscow said it had persuaded the rebels to pull back from the original ceasefire line.