under the bombardments, on the front line in the east of the country

The situation is explosive in eastern Ukraine. Kiev and pro-Russian separatists accuse each other of serious ceasefire violations, stoking fears of a Russian invasion. Maryse Burgot, Stéphane Guilemot and Yan Kadouchspecial envoys of France Télévisions in Ukraine, followed on Saturday February 19, the Ukrainian Minister of the Interior, Denys Monastyrsky, visiting the front line.

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From the trenches, the Minister assured that “the Ukrainian army is on the lookout”. “I spoke to the soldiers, I can tell you that the enemy has no chance”, he said at the microphone of France Télévisions. But the situation then degenerated, surprising the minister’s delegation. Mortar shells fell less than 50 meters from Denys Monastyrsky. Plated on the ground and protected by his bodyguards, the minister was exfiltrated.

Denys Monastyrsky believes he was targeted by pro-Russian separatists. “Of course, I am a man, I am a civilian, I am not a soldier, I am very shocked. But I know how much the civilians who live here feel these fears”reacted the minister after these shots.

Observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Saturday that they had observed a “dramatic increase” violations of the ceasefire, the highest since July 2020. Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed on the front line, according to a new report from the Ukrainian army.