Donetsk, Feb 6 – DAN. DPR has begun to collect residents’ signatures in support of the appeal to Russian, US and German leaders to influence Kiev and to stop genocide of Donbass people, said DPR envoy to Minsk negotiation Denis Pushilin.
"My colleague o LPR People's Council and I addresses Russian President Vladimir Putin, US president Donald Trump, Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel asking them to take all necessary action to stop the genocide, as there is no other name for what is going on. To work with Kiev in a certain way. But we must have people's support. That is why we launch gathering signatures for this appeal."
Pushilin said DPR residents have already participated in such kind of action.
"Last time we gathered half a million of signatures of those citizens who disagreed with what had benn going on, with that war crimes committed by Ukraine, that's why we decided to issue a statement. We hope we will be heard and it will help us to bring the Western world to re-consideration of Ukraine's actions."
The situation along the contact line deteriorated in the end of January. Kiev shells DPR territory with MLRS Grad and Uragan and heavy artillery and kept escalating the situation using IFVs, self-propelled howitzers and other weapons banned under the Minsk Agreements. Multiple civilian and military fatalities have been reported, dozens have been injured. Massive damage to housing and infrastructure has been recorded. DPR head Alexander Zakharchenko and the speaker of the Parliament Denis Pushilin said that the command to open fire on Donbass was issued directly by Ukraine's president Petr Poroshenko. *ot