Head of Donetsk People’s Republic: Kyev preparing to launch a new military incursion into DPR

The Ukrainian authorities mull a new military incursion into Donbas, Alexander Zakharchenko, head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) said on Thursday, December 25.   

“Ukraine is preparing to ruin the negotiations in Minsk and launch full-scale incursion,” he said. “Airports in Ukraine have been closed (in the cities of Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk, and Kharkov - EAD). The reason is the West’s military aid. The main military actions are down the road. Therefore, we keep powder dry.”

Referring to Vladislav Seleznev, representative of the headquarters of special operations, the online media “Apostrophe” reported on December 15, that Ukraine’s Security Service officers are conducting “anti-terrorist operation” at the earlier closed airports of Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk, and Kharkov.

“Despite the circulating reports that the airports were closed at the request of the military, neither the General Staff not the Armed Forces have applied to the State Aviation Service with such request,” Seleznev said. Ukraine’s Security Service has not informed the public of what it called “anti-terrorist operation” and its results.

Meanwhile, some Ukrainian media outlets reported that the airports in Zaporozhye, Dnepropetrovsk, and Kharkov were closed due to delivery of armament by NATO transport aircrafts for Ukraine’s army participating in the military action in the southeast of the country.