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All-Out War Has Resumed in Eastern Ukraine

By teleSUR

25 January 15

eavy fighting resumed in eastern Ukraine Friday, after peace talks between the government and separatists collapsed.

“Our side will no longer push for any more truce talks,” said Alexander Zakharchenko, the prime minister of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic (DPR).

Ukrainian media has reported clashes have taken place across the Ukrainian government's frontlines with the DPR. Some of the fiercest fighting has been reported near Donetsk's airport. The airport has been the site of repeated clashes for months, though DPR forces now say they have overrun the site, but are being fired on from nearby government troops.

The renewed violence has sparked speculation a ceasefire struck in September 2014 is likely dead in the water, after months of simmering clashes.

The fighting has also cast doubts over a deal reached earlier this week by separatists and government forces to withdraw heavy artillery from their frontlines.

On the eve of the new DPR offensive, Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko vowed Thursday to “smash them (DPR forces) in the teeth.”

The embattled president accused separatists of being responsible for undermining the ceasefire deal, and endangering the lives of civilians.

On Friday, Russia's president Vladimir Putin hit back by accusing Poroshenko's forces of giving “criminal orders” to restart fighting.

“The Kiev authorities have given an official order to start large-scale military operations practically throughout the whole line of contact. The result is tens of killed and wounded, not only among the military on both sides but... among civilians,” Putin told Russian state media.

“The people who are doing this should know that there is no other way to solve such conflicts than peace talks and political measures,” he stated.

Kiev’s troops began a new assault on DPR forces last weekend.

Amid the fighting, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) accused the Ukrainian government of blocking urgent humanitarian aid that was intended for people in the southeast of the country.

The international organization released a statement saying Ukraine’s new security law makes it difficult for foreign humanitarian organizations to deliver aid.

The legislation requires special permits to transport food, blankets and other basic items to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

The U.N. announced Friday that more than 5,000 people have died in the conflict in Ukraine since April. Furthermore, it said that at least 262 people have died in the last 10 days, making it the “most deadly period” since the Sept. 5 Minsk agreement.

"The significant escalation in hostilities has taken the toll to 5,086 individuals and we fear the real figure may be considerably higher," said U.N. human rights spokesperson Rupert Colville.