Ukrainian Defense Minister Valeriy Geletey said Monday that the conflict in eastern Ukraine between government troops and pro-independence insurgents has escalated into a "war" .
"A great war came at our doorstep, the war, which Europe has not seen since World War II," Geletey wrote on his official Facebook page.
Accusing Russia of beginning a "full-scale invasion" of Ukraine, Geletey announced the end of government's military operation in the east.
"The operation to liberate eastern Ukraine from 'terrorists' is over. We must urgently undertake the defense against Russia," Geletey said.
He blamed Moscow for the escalation of the conflict in Lugansk and Donetsk regions, claiming that Russia "via unofficial channels" has threatened to use "tactical nuclear weapons" against Ukraine.
Geletey estimated that the casualties in the "war" to be numbered in "thousands and even tens of thousands of people" and called for the "consolidation" of the Ukrainian society.
Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow will not militarily interfere in the ongoing Ukraine crisis, urging the United States and the European Union (EU) to help stop Kiev from using heavy weapons.
Lavrov expressed the hope that the Contact Group for Ukraine, which are meeting in the Belarussian capital of Minsk on Monday, primarily dedicate to "an imminent and unconditional ceasefire."…Xinhua News English (China)
Ukrainian conflict escalates into "war": DM
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