Putin calls on Ukrainian southeastern militias to stop offensive

ULAN BATOR, September 3 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said he and Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko discussed a plan to settle the situation in Ukraine by phone on Wednesday. Putin said the plan contained seven items. “In order to stop bloodshed and stabilize the situation in the southeast of Ukraine, I believe the conflicting sides should immediately agree and carry out the following actions in coordination,” he said. First, the Russian leader said, “active offensive operations of armed formations of southeastern Ukrainian militiamen should be stopped on the Donetsk and Lugansk directions.” Another measure, Putin said, envisions that “full-fledged and objective international control over observance of ceasefire terms and monitoring of the situation in the security zone be stipulated.” He said the use of combat aviation against civilians and inhabited localities in the conflict zone should be ruled out to settle the situation in Ukraine. Besides, the Russian president said, captives should be exchanged in line with the “all for all” formula without preliminary conditions. These items are contained in the plan Putin familiarized journalists with. Troops loyal to Kiev and local militias in the southeastern Ukrainian Donetsk and Lugansk regions are involved in fierce clashes as the Ukrainian armed forces are conducting a military operation to regain control over the breakaway territories, which on May 11 proclaimed their independence at local referendums and now call themselves the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s republics. During the military operation, conducted since mid-April, Kiev has used armored vehicles, heavy artillery and attack aviation. Hundreds of civilians have been killed in it. Many buildings have been destroyed and hundreds of thousands of people have had to flee Ukraine’s war-torn southeast. Learn more on itar-tass.com