Donetsk, Feb 24 – DAN. DPR authorities do not exclude the possibility of escalation in Donbass, Republic's Foreign Minister Natalia Nikonorova said.

"Recent steps taken by Ukraine sustain our belief: crackdown on opposition, seizing control over media, continuing provications at the contact line, what is it if not a preparation for a military audacity?" she said.

They have apparently forgoten previous unfortunate experience that ended in a total fiasco, but our position has not changed since."

In early February, Ukrainian president Vladimir Zelensky introduced five-year-long sanctions against opposition TV channels: 112 Ukraine, NewsOne, ZIK, and their owner,an opposition deputy Taras Kozak. The channels had to suspend TV broadcast and continue operation only via the internet. *ot