The head of Ukraine’s self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, said that he has signed a decree on general mobilisation in the republic.
He said- “I urge fellow countrymen who are in reserve to come to the military commissariats. Today I signed a decree on general mobilization.”
He said that no matter how events develop, the DPR will be able to contain Ukraine’s aggression.
The second breakaway republic of Lugansk has made a similar decree, which comes amid tension between the self-proclaimed Donbass republics and Ukraine.
The republics claim Ukraine is planning an imminent attack, an accusation Ukraine has denied as part of Russia’s plot to invade the country.
Thousands of people from Donetsk and Lugansk have had to leave their homes and are being evacuated to Russia due to alleged constant shelling by Ukrainian forces.
Russia’s Sputnik News said Kiev has repeatedly used 120mm mortars. banned by the Minsk accord, against the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR).
Over the past hours, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Special Monitoring Mission (OSCE SMM) said it had registered 222 ceasefire violations in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, and 648 breaches of the truce in the Lugansk region.
As of Saturday morning, around 25,000 people have crossed the border with Russia from the LPR side.
Another 6,600 people, including almost 2,500 children have also left for Russia from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic.
An extraordinary meeting of the Trilateral Contact Group has been called for Saturday morning, as tensions show no sign of abating.