Ukrainian President Rejects Russian President's Peace Proposal

• January 19, 2015 07:09

Russian President's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on January 18 that last week, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko rejected Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to ease tensions in eastern Ukraine.

According to Mr. Peskov, the Kremlin sent a letter to Mr. Poroshenko on January 15, detailing the plan to withdraw heavy weapons, but Kiev refused without making any other proposals.

RELATED NEWS
Tension in the East, Ukraine mobilizes 50,000 troops A bus in eastern Ukraine was hit by a long-range Grad missile. Russian President has not confirmed his participation in the 4-way meeting on Ukraine Foreign ministers of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France will hold talks on January 12.

Tổng thống Ukraine Petro Poroshenko. (Nguồn: AFP)

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. (Source: AFP)

"Unfortunately, the Ukrainian side rejected the proposed plan and in response, did not make any proposals, but rather, once again started military operations," Peskov said. Spokesman Peskov also said that "the situation has completely deteriorated" in southeastern Ukraine.

On the morning of January 18, the authorities of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) announced that residential areas in Donetsk, Makeyevka and Gorlovk were bombarded. Specifically, in the city of Donetsk, the districts of Kirov, Kuibyshev, Kiev and Voroshilov were bombarded.

In Gorlovka, shells hit a bus station, killing two people and wounding 16. Shells also hit a school and a kindergarten. Separatists also said they had repelled an attempt by Ukrainian troops to break into the city of Donetsk, but the Putilov Bridge linking the city to the airport was destroyed.

Meanwhile, DPR artillery fired on Ukrainian army positions in the villages of Peska and Marinka. Kiev authorities also reported attacks on Uglegorsk and the Mariupol region./.

According to VNA