by Stephen Lendman

Poroshenko vowed earlier to regain Donbass and Crimea by "any means" necessary.

Kiev launched naked aggression on Donbass last April. It breached three ceasefire agreements straightaway - the latest Minsk II in February.

Fighting never stopped. Junta forces attack Donbass multiple times daily - 43 shellings in the last 24 hours, according to Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Defense Ministry spokesman Eduard Basurin.

"The enemy used heavy armaments once again," he said. Areas targeted include Oktyabrskiy near Donetsk's airport, Gorlovka, Yasinovataya, Dokuchayevsk, Spartak, Zhabichevo, Grigorovka and Zaitsrvo.

Not according to Kiev's propaganda machine. On the one hand, it calls naked aggression an ATO (anti-terrorist operation).

On the other, it outrageously claims Donbass fighters attack Ukraine's army "day and night" - using "heavy weapons."

Truth is polar opposite. Donbass self-defense forces respond when attacked. They've gone all-out to observe Minsk II ceasefire terms in vain - impossible to achieve when junta officials won't honor them.

Kiev violates them multiple times daily - blaming victims for their crimes. Minsk mandated withdrawing all heavy weapons many kilometers behind the contact line.

Kiev maintained them in place - moving them around to create the appearance of withdrawal. Willful junta deception continues substituting for honoring ceasefire terms agreed on.

On Monday, DPR's Basurin reported Kiev building up heavy weapons along the contact line - in blatant violation of Minsk II.

Junta forces deployed BM-21 Grads, Uragan 9K57 multiple rocket launcher systems, and Smerch 9K58 heavy multiple rocket launchers.

They seized a Dzerzhink city hospital. "(M)edical personnel were forcefully evacuated and the work of the medical facility has been blocked," Basurin explained.

Foreign mercenaries seized private property in Artem village. They took over a residential building for their forces.

Junta authorities continue preparing for what appears to be plans for escalated aggression. "(I)ndiscriminate shellings against civilians and the destruction of (DPR) civilian infrastructure" continue, Basurin said.

He stressed DPR self-defense forces "continue strictly complying with their commitments under the Minsk agreements." They respond only when attacked.

In mid-May, Russia's lower house State Duma International Affairs Committee Chairman Alexey Pushkov said Washington for the first time acknowledged Kiev ceasefire breaches.

During his visit to Sochi for discussions with Putin, John Kerry admitted it, Pushkov said.

Up to then, US officials lied claiming "Kiev's willingness to implement the accords," he added.

In early May, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov "strongly urged" OSCE chairman Ivica Dacic "to use his authority" to crack down on "blatant" Kiev ceasefire violations.

No international pressure followed. Multiple junta ceasefire breaches occur daily.

In mid-May, a joint NATO/Kiev statement affirmed support for Ukraine's "sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders" - including Crimea and Donbass.

"…Russia's (nonexistent) aggressive actions and continued violation of international law and its international obligations" were "condemn(ed)."

Junta aggression was ignored - including major crimes of war and against humanity. Partnership between NATO and Kiev was stressed.

One rogue entity supports another. Endless junta aggression continues. Heavy buildup along the contact line suggests escalated conflict looms.

A Final Comment

On Monday, Ukraine's parliament speaker Volodymyr Groysman signed a decree "rescinding (Kiev's) commitments outlined in the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the European Social Charter."

It nonsensically claimed a need to repel nonexistent "Russian aggression." Moscow's OSCE envoy Andrei Kelin said the measure legalizes criminal lawlessness in Donbass.

Russia's upper house Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko blasted Kiev saying "responsibility for what's happening in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions rests with the Ukrainian authorities and no one else."

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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