Donetsk, Apr 6 — DAN. The Ukrainian regime is cynical and cruel even to its own citizens, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with Donetsk People’s Republic Acting Head Denis Pushilin in the Kremlin on Thursday.

“Regrettably, we’re dealing with the regime which is extremely cruel not only to our citizens, but also to its own people, ” Putin said. “It was reported to me yesterday that 14 Ukrainian servicemen had surrendered at a place on the contact line but as it was late, our servicemen stayed together with them there in order to evacuate them from the zone of fighting in the morning. The enemy fired 300 shells at that place.”

Ukrainian forces must be pushed away from the contact line to the point from where they can cause no damage to Russian troops. The military’s task is to make sure that Donbass is not shelled, he added.

Earlier reports said that President Vladimir Putin had had a working meeting with DPR Acting Head Denis Pushilin.*jk