Ukrainian Armoured Vehicles Deployed Near Line of Contact in Donbass, LPR Militia Says

LUGANSK (Sputnik) - Armoured vehicles of the Ukrainian security forces were detected on Sunday near the village of Muratovo controlled by Kiev near the line of contact in Donbass, the people's militia of the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) told reporters.

"Two armoured scout cars BRDM-2 and one infantry fighting vehicle BMP-2 [of the Ukrainian forces] were detected near the settlement of Muratovo", an official from the people's militia said.

On Saturday, the Lugansk People's Republic said that Ukrainian forces had deployed at least two armoured vehicles close to the village of Klinovoe near the line of contact, in violation of the truce agreement.

Ukrainian troops patrol in armored vehicles (File)

© AFP 2023 / ANATOLII STEPANOV

The conflict in Donbass between Ukraine's government and the breakaway republics in Donetsk and Lugansk has been going on since 2014 when they declared independence after a violent coup d'etat in Kiev. The fighting claimed the lives of around 31,000 people, with tens of thousands more injured, and more than 2.5 million residents being externally or internally displaced.

The Minsk Agreements, designed to find a political resolution to the conflict, were negotiated by the leaders of the Normandy group in February 2015. However, the agreement has not been observed so far and sporadic clashes continue. Moscow has repeatedly stated that Kiev is not fulfilling the accords and is delaying negotiations to resolve the conflict.

The tensions in the region have been escalating of late as Kiev boosts its forces in Donbass, while the US, Britain, and their allies accuse Russia of planning "an invasion" of Ukraine. Russia has repeatedly blasted those allegations, saying the claims are being put forth as NATO countries themselves are deploying additional troops near Russian territory.