'West Begins to Understand True Nature' of Kiev Amid Donbass Escalation - Lavrov

The West has finally started to understand the real nature of the Ukrainian government following the latest escalation in Donbass, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – According to the Russian minister, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko "decided to turn a blind eye to what volunteer battalions are going, or maybe suggested them that it is time to start shooting."

"The only plus that I see in this situation, is that the West begins to understand the true nature of the Ukrainian authorities, but it is being achieved with blood and many months-long, if not years-long, experiments," Lavrov told the NTV channel.

The situation in southeastern Ukraine has escalated over the past few weeks, in particular near the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk region, where clashes between Kiev forces and the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic militia have intensified. The conflicting parties have both accused each other of initiating the violence.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that Moscow had reliable data that the Ukrainian independent armed groups, supported by the Ukrainian Armed Forces' artillery, were behind the attack on Avdiivka.

Earlier, Putin explained three reasons behind the escalation in eastern Ukraine.