Putin Says Merkels Words About Minsk Agreements Unexpected, Disappointing

 Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the statement of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel that the Minsk agreements had been concluded only to give Ukraine time to prepare for war with Russia were unexpected and disappointing for him.

Merkel’s confession about Minsk Agreements a solid bid for a tribunal — diplomat

 The confession made by German ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel’s in her interview for Die Zeit that the Minsk Agreements were signed in order to buy time for Ukraine to prepare for a military standoff with Russia could be used for an investigation in a tribunal, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

Russian State Duma Approves Draft Bill on Recognition of DPR, LPR | Farsnews Agency

(FNA)- The lower house of the Russian Parliament on Tuesday voted in favour of sending a resolution on the recognition of the self-proclaimed Donbass republics to President Vladimir Putin.

Lavrov: correspondence with German, French counterparts shows Kiev torpedoes Minsk deal - TASS

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that his correspondence with French and German counterparts Jean-Yves Le Drian and Heiko Maas regarding a Normandy Quartet ministerial level meeting, made public on Wednesday, clearly shows that Kiev torpedoes the Minsk Accords.