Kiev Passes Up, OSCE 'Ignores' DPR's Phased Donbass Conflict Settlement Plan

The Ukrainian government has passed up and European security monitors ignored the phased Donbass conflict settlement plan offered by the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), DPR Deputy Defense Minister Eduard Basurin said Wednesday.

DONETSK (Sputnik) — He noted that OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) Principal Deputy Chief Monitor Alexander Hug also declined to mediate the negotiating process "by ignoring our initiative."

"This plan passed all approvals, was documented and submitted to the Ukrainian command for further ratification. But Ukraine rejected the document and ignored the republic's initiative," Basurin said in a live briefing.

Basurin added that the DPR suspects Ukrainian security services of preparing to mine a coking plant in Avdiivka, threatening an "environmental and humanitarian catastrophe."

The situation in southeastern Ukraine has escalated over the past few days, 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.