Ukraine Rebel Leaders Say Evacuating Civilians to Russia as Fears of Large-scale Conflict Grow

The Ukrainian army says one soldier has been killed in the eastern region of Ukraine in clashes with separatist rebel forces, news agency AFP reported. “As a result of a shelling attack, one Ukrainian soldier received a fatal shrapnel wound,” Ukraine military said in a statement.

The sudden escalation in the eastern areas of Ukraine have intensified fears that a Russian invasion is imminent. The separatists are heavily backed by Russia and leaders of the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic also have started evacuating citizens to Moscow with Russian president Putin even announcing economic doles to ‘refugees’, news agencies TASS and Interfax reported.

The announcement comes after reports surfaced that a ceasefire agreed upon by the rebel armies of these regions and the Ukrainian armed forces have been violated. Shelling has been going on in eastern Ukraine since Thursday and late on Friday two blasts were reported. It remains unclear as to who instigated the skirmish as rebel armies of both regions and Ukraine blame each other for the escalation. The separatist leaders claim that