Ukraine separatist leader vows to mobilise 100,000 fighters
3 Feb 2015 12:00 AM GMT
The pro-Russian separatist leader in eastern Ukraine’s rebel hub of Donetsk vowed on Monday to mobilise 100,000 fighters for their latest offensive against Kiev forces.
“There will be general mobilisation in the (separatist) Donetsk People’s Republic in 10 days’ time, we plan on mobilising up to 100,000 men,” Alexander Zakharchenko told the separatist news agency DAN.
The declaration came after the separatists vowed to push their offensive to take over the entirety of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions and the latest bid to establish a ceasefire collapsed.
Fighting has since intensified, with Kiev officials and local authorities saying on Monday that five Ukrainian soldiers and three civilians had been killed in clashes in the last 24 hours.
“Five soldiers were killed and 29 wounded in fighting,” military spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov told mediapersons in Kiev, adding that Ukrainian forces had been targeted with artillery or mortar fire
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“There will be general mobilisation in the (separatist) Donetsk People’s Republic in 10 days’ time, we plan on mobilising up to 100,000 men,” Alexander Zakharchenko told the separatist news agency DAN.
The declaration came after the separatists vowed to push their offensive to take over the entirety of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions and the latest bid to establish a ceasefire collapsed.
Fighting has since intensified, with Kiev officials and local authorities saying on Monday that five Ukrainian soldiers and three civilians had been killed in clashes in the last 24 hours.
“Five soldiers were killed and 29 wounded in fighting,” military spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov told mediapersons in Kiev, adding that Ukrainian forces had been targeted with artillery or mortar fire
104 times.
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