MOSCOW – The recent deployment of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine and Moscow’s indication that it could intervene in the event of a large-scale war in eastern Ukraine raise hopes for a peaceful resolution to the conflict that has continued for seven years and thousands of lives.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that Russia had the right to move its troops across its territory at its discretion and was simply taking precautions given the “dangerous, explosive region on its borders” with eastern Ukraine.
Mr Peskov warned that the situation on the contact line was extremely unstable, saying that “the momentum … creates the danger of a resumption of full hostilities”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of resuming “dangerous provocative actions” in the eastern Donbas region, in an appeal Friday with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to a reading from the Kremlin.
Tensions between Ukraine and pro-Russian separatists have continued to increase following a recent escalation of fighting along the ceasefire line in Ukraine, where Kiev said several of its soldiers were killed last week.