Poroshenko Consults Generals As Ukraine Peace Talks Falter
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko convened his generals on August 4 amid signs that his latest bid to negotiate an end to clashes with pro-Russian rebels is faltering while violence is rising.
"We need to clearly determine a plan for strengthening our defenses in case of the conflict's escalation," the presidency quoted Poroshenko as telling members of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council.
Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov reported the death of three more soldiers in overnight rocket attacks. Kyiv said four of its troops had been killed on August 3, and the rebels reported one loss in the past two days.
The increased violence occured as peace talks in Minsk appeared to be unraveling.
Poroshenko sent his personal envoy to the talks on August 3 to discuss a new weapons withdrawal agreement with negotiators from the rebels and Moscow.
But the European-mediated talks fell apart due to what one separatist said was Kyiv's refusal to pull back its forces from four strategic sites. The rebels accused Kyiv of "sabotaging" the peace talks.
Based on reporting by AFP, Kyiv Post, and Interfax
Kremlin Downplays OSCE Report Of Russian Troops In Eastern Ukraine
The Kremlin on August 4 played down a report by OSCE monitors who found an armed man in separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine who identified himself and a group of uniformed soldiers as a members of Russia’s armed forces.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said on August 3 that the armed man was guarding a weapons depot controlled by pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
It said the man “claimed that he and those present at the site were part of the 16th Airborne Brigade from Orenburg, Russia. They did not wear identifying insignia.”
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Pesko said on August 4 that “the Kremlin questions the accuracy of the data of the OSCE monitoring mission to Ukraine which allegedly registered the presence of the Russian military in the conflict zone.”
He said “the trustworthiness of these reports needs to be verified” and that Russia’s Defense Ministry was the most competent authority to verify the report.
Based on reporting by dpa and TASS
This ends our live blogging for August 4. Be sure to check back tomorrow for our continuing coverage.