Ukraine’s President on Thursday visited the area of conflict in his country's east amid an escalation of tensions that has raised fears of a resumption of large-scale hostilities with Putin led Russia.

Ukraine's president visits conflict area as Tensions Rise, KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s President on Thursday visited the area of conflict in his country's east amid an escalation of tensions that has raised fears of a resumption of large-scale hostilities with Putin led Russia. (1 of 1) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shakes hands with a soldier as he visits the war-hit Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Thursday, April 8, 2021. Ukraine is at the center of a major geopolitical battle in the eastern part of the country with Moscow backed separatists. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) April 08, 2021 In Moscow, a senior Kremlin official sternly warned Ukraine against using force to reclaim control of the rebel east, saying that this might force Russia to step in to protect civilians there. The conflict with Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine erupted shortly after Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula. More than 14,000 people have died in the fighting. Officials in Ukraine and the West have raised concerns about increasingly frequent cease-fire violations in the country's industrial heartland, known as Donbas. They also expressed worries about Russian troops' buildup along the border with Ukraine. “I want to be with our soldiers in the tough times in Donbas,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy tweeted as he headed to the conflict area Thursday. He said that a 23-year-old Ukrainian soldier was killed in the area on Wednesday night. “Thank you for keeping people calm and defending our land,” Zelenskiy told troops during the trip. "You are a true example of heroism and dedication. We remember every warrior who died defending our state.” Zelenskiy has accused Russia of flexing its military muscles and held a series of calls with Western leaders to rally support for Ukraine amid the tensions. Russia has rejected the claims, arguing that it can deploy its troops wherever it deems necessary on its territory and emphasizing that they don't threaten anyone. It has accused Ukrainian authorities of trying to stoke up tensions in the east for domestic policy purposes. In a call Thursday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin “drew attention to the provocative actions of Kyiv, which has deliberately sought to exacerbate tensions along the line of control,” the Kremlin said in its readout of the call. Merkel’s office said she discussed the increased Russian military presence in the area near eastern Ukraine with Putin, and “called for the removal of these troop reinforcements in order to achieve a de-escalation of the situation.” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a Thursday briefing that the U.S. "is increasingly concerned by recent escalating Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine, including Russian troop movements on Ukraine’s border.” “Russia now has more troops on the border with Ukraine than at any time since 2014. Five Ukrainian soldiers have been killed this week alone. These are all deeply concerning signs,” she said. Speaking at a panel discussion with political experts in Moscow, Dmitry Kozak, a Putin aide who serves as Russia's top negotiator with Kyiv, warned Ukraine against using military force to retake control of the eastern regions, where many residents have received Russian citizenship. “The start of hostilities will the beginning of an end for Ukraine,” Kozak said. “It would mean shooting itself not just in the foot, but in the head.” Asked if Russia could intervene militarily, Kozak responded that “it will depend on the scale of the fire.” “If they try to do it like in Srebrenica, as our president said, we will likely have to come to their defense,” he said in a reference to the July 1995 massacre of civilians by Bosnian Serb forces during the Bosnian war. Ukraine and many Western nations have accused Russia of sending troops and weapons to eastern Ukraine to support the rebels — accusations the Kremlin has denied. -------------------------------------- Despotic ex-KGB Putin led Ruminant Communist Oligarchy to remain relevant, he with his cohort have to resort to its old fashion East/West former politics with its cold war mentality and as well to showcase intl anti west confrontational diplomacy & the usual anti West Politics, as to ignite nationalistic Passion among the Gullible Russians and to woo Anti West Allies as to further its further cooperation.  US/West have to tactically separate this, as it has nothing to do with the Russians and its federation, except Putin led communist oligarchy & its interest, which runs contrary to the moderate Russians’ need, which is basically Democracy with its open government, free market economy, free movement & free of speech, transparent  run privatization/commercialization of Russian State run with corrupt institutions/Putin imposed Tops in Russian corporations. The ex-KGB Putin Despotic Intl Politics of cold War mentality with its playing to gallery with its brinkmanship antics. This is not to the real interest of Russians with its federation who are in desperate need of moderate facilities’ development and its economic modernization, while Putin arrogantly wastes Russia vast resources to the usual old fashion East West former politics with its intl anti West confrontational diplomacy. ......................................... Despotic Putin misunderstood Russian Dynamism, will face disgraceful humiliation/forced Exit. Despotic Putin misunderstood Russian Dynamism & could face disgraceful humiliation/forced Exit. As he has technically only one term PM left and Medvedev has one term Presidency, whether Putin is a strong KGB Boss or not, or whether he can force with threat or not, the truth will confront him badly and he will lose to Russia as Russia has great history where in past strong kings were overthrew and forced into Exile.  Since, Russians belongs to European Stocks, which bears the known cradles of modern civilization, despite its Communism or Socialist background and definitely the Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin whose political attempts to despotically impose himself as a self-acclaimed KGB Strong man with his foisted Russian State Dumas  and Moscow Kremlin cow,intimidate, maneuver and manipulate Russians into submission as to run and rule Russia for 3rd and 4th Russian President, will lead him to bloody confrontation and disgraceful humiliation.  Russia was known to be ruled by exploitative Emperors/Kings during red capitalism in past, but Russians used Communism or Socialism as running point to drove away their Emperors/Kings to exile and any attempt to draw Russia back to one man feudalism, will backfire with dire consequences.  The World and Russians should use Media and Advice to counsel Putin to toe the right path of modernism and not to return Russia to ugly past of feudalism or Autocrat Capitalism. ---------------------------- Soliciting for Maziliteralworks' Donation/any amount or Media laptop/window Computers' Donation, Phone Media Assistance for Mazi Literal Works' Dissemination/Publication.Upon your Response,more info of the US/Canadian Coordinator  will be sent. Visit these published Articles' websites. http://maziliteralworks.wordpress.com http://maziliteralworks.blogspot.com https://medium.com/me/stories/public http://disqus.com/home/channel/mazipatrick/ https://maziliteralworks.tumblr.com https://twitter.com/Maziliteraworks Regards, Mazi Patrick  O., email: akwaba2000@gmail.com Thinker, Writer, Political Strategist, Historian & Psychoanalyst.