Donetsk, Jun 5 - DAN. The Ukrainian army has increased the number of weapons and troops near the contact line, Donetsk People’s Republic Head Alexander Zakharchenko told reporters on Tuesday.
“I’ve visited all problem places on the contact line in person over the past two weeks,” Zakharchenko said. “The situation is difficult as the number of artillery pieces and personnel has increased.”
He added that tensions heightened in connection with the 2018 FIFFA World Cup that starts in Russia on June 14. Meanwhile, Zakharchenko does not think that Ukraine is ready to step up fighting. “The Ukrainian side is currently not ready to wage a large-scale war; but we should expect provocations,” he said.
Earlier, a Ukrainian serviceman captured in the vicinity of Donetsk told about Kiev’s plans to attack the DPR just before the beginning of the FIFA World Cup. Head of the DPR delegation in Minsk, DPR parliament speaker Denis Pushilin later voiced his apprehensions on this account.*jk