KHABAROVSK, August 31 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called on Kiev authorities to think about the approaching heating period, end its military operation and swiftly start infrastructure rehabilitation work in southeastern Ukraine to prevent winter deaths.
“In my opinion, nobody is worried about it except Russia… The first and the foremost demand is an immediate cessation of hostilities and infrastructure rehabilitation. To start stocking up on necessities, carrying out the necessary repairs, maintenance work and preparing for the autumn-winter season,” Putin told Channel One.
The military operation, launched by Kiev in mid-April to suppress independence supporters in Ukraine’s southeastern regions of Luhansk and Donetsk has recently become extremely violent.
As the situation in Luhansk and Donetsk regions worsened, thousands of civilians found themselves trapped in the warring regions without electricity, food, medicine or drinking water.
Russia has repeatedly condemned the operation and urged Kiev to stop the bloodshed in the region, which has already claimed thousands of lives, and sent a humanitarian convoy to war-torn eastern Ukraine with about 2,000 tons of aid.
