Ukraine Shells Rebel Capital of Donetsk, Predicts Resumed Fighting

Claims Rebels Are 'Preparing for Offensive'

Residents of the rebel capital of Donetsk reported heavy shelling in several parts of the city today, as Ukraine’s military picked up the pace of attacks in anticipation of a collapse of the ceasefire.

The Ukrainian government has been predicting an imminent collapse of the ceasefire for weeks now, and says they believe the ethnic Russian rebels are preparing for a new offensive against them.

The prediction comes amid Ukrainian claims of a Russian invasion, though there is still no concrete evidence of the Russian military being present, and to the extent that fighting is testing the ceasefire, it’s still the same shelling in Donetsk that it’s been for weeks.

Western officials, for their part, didn’t provide any additional evidence to back up any of Ukraine’s predictions, but did use the G20 summit as a chance to rail at Russia for a putative invasion that seems to be largely made up.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.