EU Concerned About Troops Movement in Eastern Ukraine

European Union's new foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has expressed concern about OSCE reports of alleged troops movement in eastern Ukraine and urged to keep the military conflict from escalating, a EU statement said Sunday.

Mogherini said the last report of the OSCE special monitoring mission in Ukraine on convoys of heavy weapons, tanks and soldiers in militia-controlled areas caused serious concern.

She urged all sides in the conflict to prevent the new escalation of hostilities and show maximum restraint, while also sticking to the Minsk protocol on peace settlement in eastern Ukraine, which was agreed back on September 5.

The spot report, published by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe claimed the Special Monitoring Mission in the east of Ukraine "observed convoys of heavy weapons and tanks" in the city of Donetsk and on its northeastern outskirts.

The SMM said it could hear "heavy, outgoing shelling to the north and northwest of the city's outskirts" at the time of the reporting on Sunday.

Militias in the Donetsk region on Sunday confirmed the reports of continuing heavy shelling by Ukrainian troops, which they said targeted residential areas in the region's capital city..........................http://en.ria.ru/military_news/20141109/195400002/EU-Concerned-About-Troops-Movement-in-Eastern-Ukraine.html
9/11/14
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Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on the latest developments in Ukraine

STATEMENT from the Official Website, 09/11/14:

"The most recent reports by the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine about convoys in separatist held areas with substantial amounts of heavy weapons, tanks and troops without insignia moving westwards represent a very worrying development.

 This comes in addition to reported heavy outgoing shelling overnight from the Donetsk area and reports over the last week of increased movements of troops and equipment.

It is imperative to avoid any re-escalation of hostilities. All parties must now show utmost restraint, strictly abide by their commitments under the Minsk Protocol and Memorandum, and reengage in view of finding a peaceful sustainable solution based on respect for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

I call on the Russian Federation to fully assume its responsibilities in this regard, including by preventing any further movement of military, weapons or fighters from its territory into Ukraine, and withdrawing any troops, weapons and equipment under its control from Ukraine, as well as by exercising its influence to ensure that the separatists implement in good faith the obligations assumed in Minsk."
 http://eeas.europa.eu/statements-eeas/2014/141109_01_en.htm
9/11/14