Ukraine Prez visits conflict-hit region

Kiev, April 9 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid a working trip to Donbas in eastern Ukraine due to the escalation of tensions in the region, his press service said in a statement.Zelensky inspected the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the frontline, where the largest number of ceasefire violations were recorded, where got acquainted with the situation, reports Xinhua news agency.The President noted that 26 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in the conflict in Donbass, which comprises the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, since the beginning of this year.He thanked the soldiers for their service and presented them with state awards.The latest ceasefire was announced in eastern Ukraine on July 27, 2020. However, the situation worsened after the armed confrontation between the Donbas insurgents and Ukrainian government forces escalated at the beginning of the year.The ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine, which began in April 2014, has claimed some 14,000 lives and left as many as 40,000 wounded.This year, the conflict has claimed the lives of 20 Ukrainian servicemen and injured 57 others so far.Insurgents have controlled parts of Donbas along the Russian border for almost seven years.
--IANS ksk/