Zelenskyy Says Never Ordered Ukrainian Military To Avoid Responding To Attacks In Donbas

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the had never instructed the Armed Forces to avoid responding to attacks in the embattled Donbas region, saying the military would never initiate an attack there but would respond to any offensive

KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th May, 2020) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the had never instructed the Armed Forces to avoid responding to attacks in the embattled Donbas region, saying the military would never initiate an attack there but would respond to any offensive.

The settlement of the conflict in Donbas has been an important part of Zelenskyy's presidential agenda and he even promised to end the years-long conflict when he came to power. Violence in the region continues and sides to the conflict have been regularly accusing each of truce violations. Still, the peace process is being negotiated in the Normandy Four format, which includes Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France.

"I never called on our armed forces to not respond. I wanted to show the whole world that we have a very strong military, and we are showing this. But we will not resort to provocations. We are fighting for our country. If we are attacked, we will respond, but we will never attack first," Zelenskyy said during a press conference.

The president argued that the Ukrainian forces did not shoot civilians in Donbas.

Kiev launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in 2014 after they refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government, which came to power after what they considered to be a coup, and proclaimed independence from the country.