Ukraine: A soldier was killed in a battle with pro-Russian separatists

Her army Of Ukraine announced the death of one of its men in battles with pro-Russian separatists in the eastern part of the country, amid escalating tensions with Moscow for several weeks.

It was about him first death after the new ceasefire announced last month by rival parties in the conflict, which has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people since 2014, according to UN estimates.

“A soldier was fatally wounded”, the Ukrainian army said in a press release, accusing the separatists of carrying out three attacks in the past 24 hours.

War broke out in Ukraine in 2014 between pro-Russian separatists and the army. The separatists, who control much of the eastern part of the country, are backed financially and militarily by Moscow, and insist on Kiev and the West despite Russian denials.

On December 22, the opposing sides concluded a ceasefire agreement on the front line, before accusing each other of violating it.

All previous attempts at a ceasefire have failed.

Tensions in Ukraine and Russia, already large in recent years, are currently experiencing a new sharpening.

For over a month, Western governments accuse Russia of mobilizing troops on its border with Ukraine and argue that he is planning a military operation against Kiev. Moscow denies this; it counters that it is threatened by the “challenges” of Ukraine and NATO, demanding that the latter commit itself not to expand further into the former Soviet Union.

Joe Biden is expected to speak by telephone later Sunday with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a televised address to Ukrainians on New Year’s Eve, Mr Zelensky assured that ending the war in the east of the country remained his “top priority”.

You may also like