Background
Seven years since the conflict that started in 2014 after clashes between pro-Russia and Ukrainian government in the Donbass (mainly in Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics) region of Ukraine and the end of the tunnel is still not in sight rather there seems to be an escalation in the tensions recently.
In Ukraine, this video appears on March 4th which showed the transport of heavy weaponry and vehicles. To the frozen but contested Donbass region. Today the Donetsk People’s Republic announce that the Ukrainian side is preparing for a offensive to break the lines of the Russians pic.twitter.com/PMFfGqS9z2
— Conflict News (@ConflictCollec1) March 6, 2021
Rise in Tensions
On 4th March there were videos circulating on social media that allegedly was of Ukrainian armed forces heading to the Donbass region. This prompted reactions from everyone, from the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin to Kremlin in Russia.
Pushilin was quoted saying “Kiev is actively preparing for the resumption of hostilities in the Donbass region” and accused Ukrainian forces of using weapons prohibited under the Minsk Agreement. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov in a statement said that “Russia is deeply concerned about the rising tensions in Donbass and hopes that the Ukrainian leadership will be able to prevent the escalation in the region”
It is interesting to note that this escalation comes weeks after the RT (Russia Today) TV chief Margarita Simonyan called for the annexation of East Ukraine. “Mother Russia, take Donbass home” she dramatically said at the Russian Donbass Forum which took place on 28th January in East Ukraine.
Recently, European Council chief Charles Michel on a two-day visit to Ukraine, said that “Russia has not reciprocated Ukraine’s positive steps” and “That’s why our economic sanctions against Russia will remain in place,” he said in an address to media where he was accompanied by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
What will be United States’ reaction to this escalation of tensions will be noticeable but one thing that is certain is the continued supply of lethal weapons to Ukraine. In a statement, Antony Blinken (Secretary of State) reaffirmed Biden administration’s commitment to providing lethal weapons to Ukraine. The Biden administration recently sanctioned Russia over the Alexei Navalny poisoning.
The conflict that started 7 years ago has claimed the lives of more than 13,000 people according to the United Nations.
Upcoming days and weeks will be tense and developments in the region should be followed closely.
Mehnoor Singh – freelance journalist covering conflict in Russia, CIS and Middle East. You can follow him on Twitter @mehnoorsingh_
