OSCE Envoy Says Kiev Strives to Resolve Conflict in Donbas by Force

It was clear from the beginning of the conflict in eastern Ukraine that the political solution was not in Kiev's plans, Russia's envoy to the OSCE said.

MOSCOW, February 4 (Sputnik) — The current developments in eastern Ukraine point out at renewed efforts by Kiev regime to resolve the standoff with self-proclaimed republics in Donbas by force, Russia's envoy to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said Wednesday.

"It was clear from the beginning of the conflict [in eastern Ukraine] that the political solution was not in Kiev's plans. What Kiev really intended to do was to squash [the pro-independence movement in Donbas] and to resolve the issue by forcible methods…," Andrei Kelin said in an interview with Rossiya-24 television.

"They have failed the first time…and now we are witnessing the second attempt," kelin stressed.

Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region has seen a sharp increase in deadly clashes between Kiev-led forces and local pro-independence militia in recent days.

A few hours prior to Kelin's interview, officials in the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) capital reported uncovering Kiev's plans to attack civilian targets in the town of Debaltsevo, ahead of this week's Munich Security Conference.

According to DPR officials, the Ukrainian leadership planned to discredit DPR and brand it as a terrorist organization at the conference scheduled to take place on February 6-8.

In late January, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak announced troop reinforcements, as well as arms and equipment deliveries in areas where Kiev-led forces faced off with independence fighters.

Poltorak's claims have subsequently been confirmed by DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko, who on Monday attributed the surge in violence to last week's failed Contact Group negotiations on Ukrainian reconciliation.