Donetsk, Sep 30 – DAN. The dismissal of the deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation at the Minsk talks, Vitold Fokin, may be indicative of an upcoming escalation of the conflict in Donbass, said Vladislav Berdichevsky, Chairman of the DPR People's Council Committee on Foreign Policy, International Relations, Information Policy and Information Technologies.

“The reason for Fokin's dismissal was his statement that there is no war between Ukraine and Russia. If he being a former competent and professional leader of the country speaks about the absence of objective data and real evidence on this issue, then there is none. And the country's leadership is aware of this and is trying to disguise and distort the situation, to completely negate the Minsk agreements. Fokin with his truth turned out to be of no use to anyone,” Berdichevsky said.

He added that the new appointments will have absolutely no meaning, because the Ukrainian government will try by all means to renew hostilities in the region. This is evidenced by the withdrawal from direct dialogue and the absence of any concrete steps in resolving the conflict for a long time.

Earlier today, President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky dismissed 87-year-old ex-Prime Minister of the country Vitold Fokin from the Ukrainian delegation to the Contact Group for the settlement of the conflict in Donbass relieving him of his duties as first deputy head of the delegation. Fokin was appointed to the position in August this year. *ot