UKRAINE-CRISIS/PUTIN-CRIMEA-NEWSER Putin blames Kiev for increased violence in east Ukraine

Record ID: 143580

  • Title: UKRAINE-CRISIS/PUTIN-CRIMEA-NEWSER Putin blames Kiev for increased violence in east Ukraine
  • Date: 18th August 2015
  • Summary: SEVASTOPOL, CRIMEA (AUGUST 18, 2015) (RUSSIAN POOL) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN APPROACHING MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "Regrettably, we are now seeing this conflict escalation and the blame lies not with the Donbass militia but with the rival side." (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "I hope there
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2015 13:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA6Q6PQSXHXO2UL1IWGM8BRX8SH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday blamed the Ukrainian government on Tuesday (August 18) for the latest upsurge in fighting between Kiev forces and Russia-backed rebels in east Ukraine.
    After taking a dive in an underwater submersible in Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula Moscow annexed from Kiev last year, Putin told reporters:
    "Regrettably, we are now seeing this conflict escalation and the blame lies not with the Donbass militia but with the rival side," he said, referring to the rebel-held Ukrainian region, and added that he hoped there will not be full scale direct clashes.
    "I hope there won't be full-scale direct clashes. With regard to the Minsk agreements, I think there is no alternative to resolve the situation. And in the end without any doubt peace will prevail. Our task is to minimize the losses we will have by the time we reach that peace," Putin said.
    More than 6,500 people have been killed in the conflict which erupted in April 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea, in reaction to the fall of a Moscow-backed president in Kiev, and threw its support behind separatists in the east.
    Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in February 2014 after the ousting of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovich in Kiev, triggering condemnation of the West.
    Standing on the pier by the Black Sea, Russian leader said the future of the peninsula is out of question.
    "The future of Crimea was determined by people who live on this territory. They voted to reunite with Russia. That's it. Period," he said.
    Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Crimea had a future only as part of Ukraine and that included its "tourist" future.
    Poroshenko also criticised Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying his action was part of a plan to whip up tensions in eastern Ukraine.
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