More than 400 Ukrainian troops have died in fighting since the Minsk II cease-fire agreement was adopted one year ago, with Russia playing a major role in the violence.
In an interview with VOA, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Carpenter, whose responsibilities include Ukraine, Russia and Eurasia, said the U.S. has seen a “considerable” uptick in fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Despite last year’s cease-fire agreement, he said, Ukraine’s armed forces have suffered at least 430 casualties fighting separatists there.
‘A Russia-fostered problem’
“Russia maintains command-and-control links over the separatists that it backs over in eastern Ukraine,” Carpenter told VOA.
Russia is pouring heavy weapons …read more
Source: Voice of America
