East Ukraine conflict killing 13 people a day despite ceasefire - UN

Fighting in Eastern Ukraine has killed an average of 13 people each day in the eight weeks since a September 5th ceasefire agreement, UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement today.

At least 4,317 people have died and 9,921 have been wounded in the conflict in Eastern Ukraine between mid-April and November 18th, the statement said.

It cited Ukraine’s State Emergency Service as saying the number of internally displaced people in Ukraine had increased from 275,489 as of September 18th to 466,829 on November 19th.

Meanwhile, a senior official from the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE) security watchdog said today prospects for peace in eastern Ukraine are “bleak”, underscoring the need to uphold the shaky ceasefire between government forces and pro-Russian separatist rebels.

Swiss diplomat Heidi Tagliavini, the OSCE’s envoy to the Trilateral Contact Group that includes senior representatives from Ukraine and Russia, said there was no alternative to peace accords signed in Minsk in September, no matter how dire the situation.

“Whatever [their] shortcomings may be and wherever they may need to be supplemented, the [Minsk] documents are the door on the road to peace in eastern Ukraine and they will continue to be so,” she told a meeting of the 57-member grouping in Vienna.

“I am unable to accept any remarks that the ceasefire arrangements of Minsk have fallen apart. Yes, it has been broken many times, but it is the only agreement in place which has any restraining power on the use of force.”

No improvement

Ms Tagliavini said the situation had not improved since world leaders met last weekend in Australia, where they threatened Russian president Vladimir Putin with more sanctions.

Fighting continues at key locations including Donetsk airport and the outskirts of the coastal city of Mariupol.

She said the conflict could escalate, with severe consequences for the region and beyond, if not handled with care. “The outlook is still bleak,” she added, citing reports of a new military build-up in the conflict zone.

Ukraine has accused Russia of violating the Minsk accord by failing to stop arms and fighters crossing into its territory, supplying the separatists with weapons and maintaining Russian forces in Ukraine. Moscow denies these charges.

Russia is pressing Ukraine to hold direct talks with separatist leaders, but Kiev is refusing, saying this would imply recognition of “people’s republics” they have set up in eastern Ukraine.

“We will not hold direct talks with your mercenaries,” Ukrainian prime minister Arseny Yatseniuk said yesterday.

Reuters