According to Nikolay Pankov, the situation in Donbass is very complicated and tends to worsen
MOSCOW, February 22. /tass/. The number of innocent victims due to the conflict in Donbass is growing. This was announced on Tuesday by the State Secretary, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Nikolay Pankov at a meeting of the Federation Council.
"The number of innocent victims is growing," Pankov said.
The Deputy Defense Minister noted that the number of Donbass residents who have left their shelter in recent days is about 100 thousand people, including 29,865 children.
The situation in Donbass is very complicated and tends to worsen, the Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian Federation said. "We must protect the residents of these young states," Pankov said.
The Deputy Minister stressed that many of them are citizens of the Russian Federation.
Pankov also said that NATO is pushing Ukraine to a military solution to the Donbass problem. "On the borders of the DPR and the LPR, Ukraine has created a 60,000-strong military group, which includes heavy armored vehicles, missile systems and multiple launch rocket systems. NATO countries, led by the United States, are actively pumping the Armed Forces of Ukraine with modern weapons. This is a direct and undoubted push by the regime ruling on the territory of Ukraine to a military solution to the Donbass problem," he said.
According to him, "the eight-year negotiation marathon on Donbass ended in nothing."
"Unfortunately, the negotiations have reached an impasse. The Ukrainian leadership has embarked on the path of violence and bloodshed <...> Terrorist and sabotage groups are actively working. The number of innocent victims is growing," Pankov said.
He also recalled that today the President of the Russian Federation signed federal laws ratifying treaties on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance between the Russian Federation and the DPR, the Russian Federation and the LPR. "In accordance with these treaties, the Russian Federation will contribute to the protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of these states, take all available measures to eliminate threats to peace, violations of peace, as well as to counter acts of aggression," the Deputy Minister stressed.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared recognition of the sovereignty of the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics. Agreements on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance were signed with their leaders. Putin instructed the Russian Foreign Ministry to establish diplomatic relations with the DPR and LPR, and the Russian Defense Ministry to ensure the maintenance of peace in their territories.
