The ongoing escalation in Donbas is a clear indication of Russia's "continued blatant disregard of its commitments under the Minsk agreements, aiming to disrupt stabilization and improvement in the security and humanitarian spheres," the ministry said in a statement on Monday evening.
"Such actions of the Kremlin may qualify as a war crime, a gross violation of the Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949, an unlawful, groundless and extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity," it said.
"In the past two days, the Russian occupation forces have mounted massive attacks along the entire contact line, using all available weapons, including Grad multiple launch rocket systems, 152mm and 122mm artillery systems, 120mm and 82mm mortars, tanks, all prohibited by the Minsk agreements, and small arms. Eight Ukrainian soldiers were killed in action from Russian weapons, another 26 were wounded in action," the statement said.
Read alsoAvdiyivka blackout close to humanitarian disaster, Poroshenko cuts short German visitMoreover, civilians suffer because of the shelling of residential areas: two local residents have been wounded. The towns of Avdiyivka and Yasynuvata have been seeing a complete blackout. More than 400,000 peaceful civilians in the region have no access to water, electricity and heating. Given harsh weather conditions and the continuing shelling by the militants, the humanitarian situation in the area continues to deteriorate.
In particular, the ministry is deeply concerned over deterioration of the situation in Donbas.
Thus, the Ukrainian ministry calls on international partners to increase political and diplomatic pressure on Russia to end dangerous escalation in Donbas and prevent a humanitarian disaster in the region.
"We request our international partners to step up political and diplomatic pressure on the Kremlin to stop dangerous escalation in Donbas and avoid a humanitarian disaster in the region," the ministry said.
In this connection, the Ukrainian ministry demands that Russia "immediately stop hostilities and strictly abide by the ceasefire."
