Russia Says U.S. Forcing Kyiv To Prolong Conflict

Russia has accused the United States of forcing Kyiv to continue the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where government forces have been battling Russian-backed separatists for more than a year.

In a statement on June 11, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Russia was not carrying out any "unusual military activity."

It also urged Washington to fully implement a treaty on eliminating intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles.

The statement comes after a U.S. State Department report accused Russia of violating its arms treaty obligations.

Based on reporting by Reuters, TASS, and Interfax