Ukraine has accused Russia of sending several convoys of military supplies to separatist rebels, as fears rose that the fragile ceasefire in the country’s contested eastern region had collapsed.
Speaking at Ukraine’s independence day celebrations in Kiev yesterday, President Poroshenko claimed that Moscow had sent up to 500 tanks, 400 artillery systems and 950 military armoured vehicles to pro-Russian rebels.
He was due to ask Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany, and President Hollande of France during talks in Berlin for action from the West if pro-Russian rebels stepped up their activity. Mrs Merkel and Mr Hollande brokered the Minsk peace agreement in February with the Ukrainian leader and President Putin of Russia, who was not invited to yesterday’s talks.
The peace deal has repeatedly been broken by both sides, with the death toll in the 16-month war close to 6,900.
“Only this week three big convoys crossed our border towards Lugansk, Donetsk and Debaltseve,” Mr Poroshenko said.
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“We must spend our 25th year of independence as if we are skating on fragile ice. The smallest misstep could be fatal. The war for Ukrainian independence is continuing,” he said.
Despite western sanctions, Moscow had still not given up the idea of a direct intervention or a rebel assault in the country’s interior, Mr Poroshenko added. “We can only claim victory by combining our defensive efforts, diplomatic talent, political responsibility and steely endurance.”
Mr Poroshenko claimed that 50,000 Russian soldiers were deployed on the border with Ukraine and that 9,000 Russian servicemen were among the 40,000 fighters of the separatist force.
Moscow said last week that the German and French leaders should put pressure on Mr Poroshenko to stick to Ukraine’s commitments under the Minsk agreement. Russia denies sending fighters to join the rebels.
In Donetsk, the de facto rebel capital, about 300 people gathered to condemn what they called ‘Dependence Day’, carrying placards saying, “We are against the war”.
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